| Since the sixties, the amount of composite structures on submarines has increased continuously. The main reasons are their low apparent weight in water, good behaviour in a marine environment, excellent mechanical properties and acoustic transparency. The new applications required the use of prepreg. Relevant processes had to be adapted to the large dimensions and thickness of the structures. Future applications will be concerned with both structures and internal equipment. A lively debate is now in progress over whether the successor to high yield strength steels for hull structures will be titanium or composite materials. |
