5. Outlook

The path we've just travelled through the sometimes mysterious or secretive world of composites in naval shipbuilding shows the wealth and diversity of applications, but also the evolution recorded over the last 50 years. What do 28-foot boats built in the immediate post-war period have in common with stealth frigates such as La Fayette and Visby, which are the new millennium's bridges?

And yet, we are at a turning point in the history of composites in the naval military field. Although these materials have essentially been used for their natural properties - lightness, absence of corrosion, non-magnetism - it seems that the very concept of composite has not been fully exploited. In contrast to the aeronautical industry, the often modest requirements of specifications have not always pushed these materials to the top.

But composites can...