Generational evolution of ship degaussing technology: a system-level transition from passive degaussing to hybrid energy storage systems

To enhance ship magnetic stealth under modern naval warfare conditions, this study systematically investigates the generational evolution and system-level trends of ship degaussing technology in response to the challenges posed by nT-level magnetic detection.

Based on a three-generation "Material−Energy−Control" technological framework, the development trajectory of ship degaussing technology since the 1980s is reviewed and comparatively analyzed. The study focuses on the evolution of key technologies, energy efficiency, and control accuracy across passive degaussing, active compensation, and emerging system-level approaches.

The findings indicate that during the passive degaussing phase (1980s—2000s), a 30%–50% reduction in static magnetic field intensity was achieved through the use of low-magnetic-permeability steel and structural optimization. In the active compensation phase (2000s—2020s), fixed degaussing coils were employed to control magnetic field fluctuations within ±50 nT, with a precision of ±0.1%, though constrained by high power consumption. In the current system-level phase (2020s—), the integration of flywheel energy storage, batteries, and supercapacitors, combined with intelligent regulation strategies, enables magnetic signature suppression exceeding 90%. In terms of system specifications, the flywheel energy storage systems can deliver pulse power outputs of up to 5 MW for 10 s with a 60% reduction in volume, while solid-state batteries effectively mitigate low-temperature performance degradation (down to −40 ℃).

Ship degaussing technology is rapidly evolving from single-function systems to multi-source coordinated architectures, and from static configurations to intelligent, adaptive regulation. The hybrid energy storage systems—integrating flywheels, solid-state batteries, and supercapacitors—are emerging as the dominant direction for next-generation ship magnetic stealth. This transition marks a fundamental shift toward system-level, high-precision, and energy-efficient degaussing solutions, laying a foundation for advanced stealth capabilities in future naval platforms.