Next up: The X-Craft (experimental ship design)

The Everett Herald ^ | November 24, 2003 | By Sue Ellen White

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

It promises to be the world's fastest ship.

The futuristic X-Craft now under construction at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders Inc. on Whidbey Island is a $59.9 million, 265-foot, experimental ship for the U.S. Navy designed to reach speeds of almost 60 mph when fully loaded.

The all-aluminum X-Craft's sleek, shallow-draft design is an advanced catamaran, part of the Navy's strategy to take better control of near-shore conflicts, according to Rear Admiral Jay Cohen of the Office of Naval Research in Arlington, Va.

"It's a militarized container ship for a variety of naval missions," Cohen said.

Intended as an experimental platform or seaframe, the X-Craft will allow the Navy to design and test interchangeable systems, each intended for specific uses, such as anti-submarine work, amphibious landing support, cargo transport and launch and recovery of surface and underwater vehicles. The concept is similar to a commercial truck that can carry containers, logs or liquids, depending on what's attached to it.

The nature of contemporary military conflicts, Cohen said, demand speed, stealth and flexibility, all built into the ship taking shape at the Nichols yard in Freeland.

Craft currently used in shore-area conflicts are small and slow, explained Cohen. They're typically escorted to hot spots or transported on large ships because of their limited range and their inability to operate in high seas.

The X-Craft has neither of these limitations. With a diesel engine and gas turbine in each hull, it will be capable of cross-ocean travel and has a wing between the two polymer-coated hulls that will keep it stable in rough seas and lift the boat, reducing drag.

Nichols CEO, Matt Nichols, said that the ship will use diesel power for long-distance travel and cost savings, then switch to gas for top speed and combat situations. It features helicopter landing pads and an offset boathouse that could accommodate drone takeoffs.

For example, Nichols said, the X-Craft could be configured as a transport vessel that would allow a mother ship to stand 150 miles offshore, a safe distance from enemy fire. The highly maneuverable, very fast X-Craft would move supplies close to shore where helicopters, which have a range of about 150 miles, would fly cargo to troops located inland.

Built under a subcontract from Titan Corporation, a defense contractor, the X-Craft is Nichols's first military contract. Titan Corporation will do further outfitting, said Wil Williams, Titan spokesperson.

Sue Ellen White is a student in the University of Washington School of Communications News Laboratory.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Jeff I thought you'd find this somewhat interesting. It's sort of a slice of the idea you explored in the storyline of your novels. Except we are doing it.

[Travis McGee]

Cats are where it's at!

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I knew I didn't need to ping you for this. You'd find the ship thread all on your own.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Look at my tagline. I like cats too. Just a different variety.

[Squantos]

Is this a copy of the Aussie surface skimmer ? Tag line is kewl............:o)

Stay Safe Ern !

[Senormechanico]

I live only 7 miles from Nichols. I'll take a closer look tomorrow. Thanks for the story.

SM

[Travis McGee]

Hehehe.....

[Travis McGee]

This 120 foot cat goes 400 miles a day without running a motor!

Power cats are okay too, though.

[meadsjn]

Is this it?

TITAN National Security Solutions

X-Craft

The X-Craft transformational program is a high-speed, 240-foot aluminum catamaran consisting of an advanced hull geometry, designed to give the craft speeds of 50 knots or more. Initially, it will be used by ONR for purposes of hydrodynamic experimentation and as a test bed for Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HME) concepts for the Navy's new class of warship, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).

The X-Craft’s deck will have two helicopter landing spots capable of handling a variety of aircraft up to the size of the H-60-series helicopter. With a design displacement of approximately 1,100 long tons, the X-Craft will be self-deployable and of flexible design for spiral technology insertion.

A Combined Gas Turbine or Diesel (CODOG) propulsion plant will propel the X-Craft to speeds of 50 knots or more. The vessel’s Mission Module Bay will be capable of fully supporting simultaneously two or three mission packages designed for the Navy’s littoral combat support. In February 2003, the Office of Naval Research awarded Titan a $59.9 million contract to develop and build the Navy’s X-Craft.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[B4Ranch]

An easy way for you to get a closer look.

[Brellium]

I hope the final version isn't made of aluminum, the British learned that lesson in the Falklands

[harpseal]

I kinda think I would have gotten here all by myself but thanks fo rthe ping. There do not seem to be many disadvantages to this design. I note the wing in the middle also seems to be a hydrofoil hybrid to the cat.

[Travis McGee]

The USMC loves it. One example makes the point: the chartered Aussie cat went right into the tiny Oceanside harbor next to Camp Pendleton to load up in an exercise. No deep draft Navy amphib can do anything like that. These craft open up the number of harbors ten-fold that Marines can access. Formerly, Marines had to either hit the beaches in an amphib assault, or use relatively rare (and well defended) major ship harbors. Now the Marines and SEALs etc can drive right into thousands of small ports worldwide.

[bmwcyle]

Isn't Lockheed about to absorb Titan?

[harpseal]

Shallow draft and steady in the open ocean and fast the possible amphib assualt vessel.

[zippoman]

I didn't know Joe Peschi designed ships in his spare time.