US Navy ships with fake shark skin?

Article

Just found this article about how the navy is looking at a new coating that could not only increase the speed of it's ships and subs, but could also reduce spending on fuel and maintenance.

According to the article, the coating mimics the properties of shark skin and reduces drag against the water as well as reducing the build up of barnacles and other organics by 67%!

Fuel savings alone could be $50 million a year- enough for another ship or two, or even (heaven forbid!) a raise for the sailors. It is also supposed to reduce sound signatures, so it would increase the stealth of submarines.

Another case of man learning amazing things from nature!

I remember the BBC had an article on how the USN might apply nanotech to the outer hual of subs to make them more slick, sort of like a fish.

Nanotech is the way of the future, no doubt. But it's not here yet.

This tech not only has multiple benefits, it's fully within our capabilities and can be applied to current hulls as well. If used in both the mil AND civ sectors, just imagine the fuel savings alone! Might even keep the US in gas for a whole day!!!!!

I can just see fish conservation groups or whatever they call themselves already saying no to such a program, paint like this in the past has been known to be toxic to sea life in the area. I hope they go ahead with this program even if it is a little toxic to sea life.

Originally posted by Montana
Nanotech is the way of the future, no doubt. But it's not here yet.

WRONG ANSWER. If it hasnt then i am out of a job!
www.ambio.bham.ac.uk...

The idea behind using surfaces based on shark skin is nothing new and as yet the problems that have stemmed its use have not been solved. The article mentions two groups, one coating(the german one) prevented the attachment of Barnacles while the Florida group were working with a algae (they are using 'Ulva' according to their research papers). While each coating is good at preventing one fouling species neither is good at both. The scale size need to prevent one is just the right size for the other to attach.

Or and they have never yet figured out a way to spray the scales onto a ships hull and get them to line up properly.

So your are gonna have to wait a while longer for you sailors payrise (so needed) or extra ships, sorry.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
I can just see fish conservation groups or whatever they call themselves already saying no to such a program, paint like this in the past has been known to be toxic to sea life in the area. I hope they go ahead with this program even if it is a little toxic to sea life.

Non toxic antifouling already exist and are on commercial sale, very little research is being conducted into new antifoulants with toxins in them. non-toxic is the future as is arriving now!