one concept might be to eliminate the sail. While this would of course create a need for other advances, it would eliminate a significant source of radiation noise and reflectivity to active sonar.

• Evolving mission requirements necessitate hull and appendage geometries that often set practical limits to the achievement of important performance parameters. There has been renewed interest in polymer ejection to reduce drag and noise. If they can be further developed and demonstrated at a practical level, the required high-speed signature and maneuvering capabilities may be achieved at much lower acquisition and life-cycle cost.

There are many other examples of the need to pursue advanced concepts in a disciplined way. Yet there was no integrated 6.2/6.3 plan presented to the committee to pursue any one of these concepts to the point where it could be shown to be potentially successful, or alternatively, not worth pursuing further. If significant increases in basic platform capabilities are to be made, they will come only from the pursuit of advanced concepts. It is largely the magnitude of the potential increases in platform capabilities that determines the amount of funding that will be made available. Without a credible, integrated 6.2/6.3 plan to achieve such capabilities, the funding is likely to be inadequate.