Composite Advantage, Dayton, Ohio, USA, installed the first set of composite camels in 2010 at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. It built and installed two more sets for the submarine base in 2011.
The Navy camels are 36 ft long, 18 ft high with a stand-off depth of 17 ft and a structural weight of 70,000 lb.
| FRP composite material resists corrosion so maintenance with these camels is minimal and lifecycle costs are significantly reduced. A universal or one-size-fits-all deep draft camel offers greater flexibility in berthing submarines, helps reduce inventory, allows support between Navy bases and provides a cost savings by improving operational efficiency. |
| Scott Reeve, President, Composite Advantage |
The recent inspection, led by a Navy facilities engineer along with Composite Advantage engineers, confirmed that all three sets of composite camels were effectively transferring high loads to protect nuclear-powered submarines and piers while requiring zero maintenance. The inspection was aided by a waterline painted on the camels to check for trim and freeboard.
The Navy selected Composite Advantage and Whitman, Requardt & Associates, Baltimore, Maryland, for a design-build project to develop and fabricate a universal composite camel to replace its steel and timber products which required annual maintenance and frequent replacement. Composite Advantage manufactured the fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) camels to accommodate all classes of underwater craft up to the Navy’s largest ballistic missile submarines.
- View a video of the composite camel installation here.
