Feature 2 | AdvAnCEd hullformS
Seabase concept requires vessel
transformation
In early December, two design concepts were selected to progress to
Phase 2 of the Office of Naval Research’s Transformable Craft (T-Craft) or
‘seabase connector’ project. The industry teams down-selected for Phase
2 of the project are led by Umoe Mandal in Norway and Alion Science &
Technology in the USA.
T
he T-Craft is a high-speed vessel to be included in the T-Craft amphibious would travel between parent ships and
intended to deploy in unloaded connector prototype. In Phase II, the beachheads to deliver troops, supplies,
condition and travel up to 2500nm contractors down-selected by the ONR and vehicles.
to reach a seabase. Once it had made Phase II will develop detailed designs that The Office of Naval Research (ONR)
a ‘connection’, the T-Craft would then can be model tested against one another describes the T-Craft as a ‘fuel efficient
have the ability to serve as a high-speed to validate performance, and in Phase III, vessel capable of self deployment, and
connector, carrying a payload of up to 750 a single contractor will build and test a T- high-speed transit’. Fully amphibious,
long tons, while travelling at a speed of Craft prototype. the T-Craft would be beachable, with a
40knots or more, and transporting troops As previously highlighted in Warship speed of 40knots in Sea State 4. It would
as well as wheeled and tracked vehicles to Technology, the T-Craft will have three need to have excellent sea-keeping when
beachheads. modes of operation: fuel-efficient or sea- at the seabase, and a payload capacity of
Four Phase 1 contracts for the T-Craft keeping mode; high-speed or shallow four to 10 M1A1 tanks or its equivalent.
were awarded to Alion, Umoe Mandal, water mode; and an amphibious mode The craft is intended to operate in a fuel-
Textron, and Navatek, the down-select for to travel over sand bars and mud flats. In efficient mode for long distance open
Phase 2 of the project having taken place keeping with US Navy and Marine Corps’ ocean transits, then transforms to a sea-
at the end of November 2007. In Phase sea-basing strategy, a large ‘parent’ ship keeping mode for rapid sea-based military
1 of the project, the four companies are stationed 100miles-200miles offshore vehicle transfer operations. Once loaded,
developing preliminary design concepts would be ‘serviced’ by a T-Craft, which the craft travels at high-speed in shallow
Alion’s T-Craft concept is based on a SES that transitions to air cushion mode.
14 Warship Technology January 2008
WT Jan - p14+15+
16.indd 14 08/01/2008 16:45:52
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