Flank speed

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Flank speed is a nautical term referring to a ship's true maximum speed, beyond the speed that can be reached by steaming at full speed. Usually, flank speed is reserved for situations in which a ship finds itself in imminent danger, such as coming under attack by aircraft. Flank speed is very fuel-inefficient and often unsustainable because of engine overheating issues.

By way of example, the specification for the Littoral Combat Ship^[1] states that the most economic speed of this LCS is 20 knots (giving a range of 4300 nautical miles). This ship has a flank speed of 50 knots but can only go 1500 nautical miles at this speed. Thus, "flank speed" consumes fuel over seven times faster than "standard speed".

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