Half-Car, Half Boat May Crack U.S. Military Market
The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division is seeking information pertaining to high-speed amphibious craft capable of rapid transition from ground maneuver to water-borne operations. High speed amphibian (HSA) craft of interest are those able to achieve forty-five miles per hour or more over land and in excess of thirty knots over water. Operational concepts should include the ability of the craft to maneuver on its own from land to water and return over variable beach or riparian conditions, including sand, mud, or rocks. A broad range of payload capacity is of interest, including small craft capable of transporting two or three passengers (or one operator and up to 500 pounds payload), and larger craft capable of transporting up to sixteen passengers (or three operators and up to 3500 pounds). Intermediate size craft are also of interest. Factors affecting the military utility of the craft will include its speed over land and water, the time to transition from land to water (and visa-versa) [sic], its acceleration characteristics over land and water, its fuel carrying capacity and consumption rate, its ability to integrate combat and/or C4ISR systems, its seaworthiness, its survivability in various threat environments, and its cost.
The U.K.-based Gibbs has already won a modest Defense Department contract to test one of its vehicles. And last year, Lockheed joined forces with Gibbs to develop a family of high speed amphibious vehicles based on the Aquada-maker's commercial technology.
