Aish Technologies has consolidated its position as the US Navy’s premier supplier of Low Signature Cathodic Protection by winning further orders on the Virginia Class Attack Submarine programme. These orders, placed by General Dynamics Electric Boat, lead builders of the Virginia Class, are for an insertion of new technology and for manufacture of a second tranche of Aish’s C3P computer controlled Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) system. ICCP systems counter corrosion generated by galvanic currents in the seawater around the vessel’s hull. The Aish Technologies system is versatile and scalable, allowing precise corrosion protection with the aid of closed loop monitoring. Most importantly, it does so without compromising a vessel’s important mission critical characteristics. More information on Aish’s ICCP systems can be found here. (hyperlink to www.aishtechnologies.com/products/aish_navalsystems.html)

The Virginia Class is the world’s most advanced submarine class currently in service. It is immensely capable, with an ability to operate covertly and deploy a range of advanced weapons and systems. The first boats of the class are in service, with another four in build.

The ICCP system fitted to the Virginia Class boats is a development of the Aish Technologies system fitted to the US Navy’s earlier Seawolf Class submarines. Compared to Seawolf, the design remit for the Virginia Class required a lower cost per boat, with a mission envelope that includes operation in littoral waters (which increases the threat of detection by mines). This presented Aish with the challenge of delivering a superb corrosion protection and signature-related capability in a cost-effective package

That challenge was met by making a root and branch reassessment of the design, and Aish was subsequently awarded a contract to supply cathodic protection for the first boats, known as Flight 1. We have continued to reduce our cost base as builds for the class have progressed. These cost reductions have been passed to our customer through Flight 2, ensuring that we maintain our position as Electric Boat’s first choice for cathodic protection, and resulting in Aish’s latest successes on the Virginia programme.

We are very pleased to continue our association with General Dynamics Electric Boat, and proud to be chosen for the follow-on boats of the Virginia Class. We look forward to future challenges as the need for stealth in the underwater battlespace increases.