Austal to build JHSVs for U.S. Navy

Space War ^ | 02/04/2010 | UPI Via Space War

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The Pentagon says it plans to buy 10 Joint High Speed Vessels that may have marines and special-operations SEALS going to combat onboard aluminum, twin-hulled catamaran offshoots of successful civilian ferries. The Pentagon says the plan includes use of the JHSV by the Navy and Army in a wider variety of military missions being considered.

Austal, the program's prime contractor, began work on the first high-speed vessel last month, and, was recently awarded a $204.2 million contract toward construction of two more.

In all, the project's construction of 10 JHSVs is estimated at $1.6 billion, Pentagon officials said.

The 338-foot-long ships are said to be used, also, in some situations as replacements for the current fleet of small-size 170-foot patrol coastal craft.

"There was a big debate within the Navy department on patrol craft, PCs," Navy Undersecretary Bob Work told the Navy Times. "People said these are very good for irregular warfare. But when we looked at it we said we wanted to have self-deployable platforms that have a lot of payload space that you can take to the fight whatever you need -- SEALs, Marines, riverine squadrons."

So, Work added, "we decided to increase the Joint High Speed Vessel program."

With an average speed of 35 knots, the J.H.S.V is intended to move Army and Marine Corps cargo and troops within areas of military operations. It is armed with four .50 caliber machine guns and includes a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that can allow vehicles to quickly drive off the ship.

[SunTzuWu]

JHSV

[omega4179]

Modeled on a commercial ferry, the vessel “is not designed or expected to be survivable against weapons effects encountered in combat missions,” according to the latest annual review by J. Michael Gilmpore, director of operational test and evaluation at the Defense Department.

Its just a gray painted “cat”

[glorgau]

4 .50 cal are going to prevent boardings and that is about it.

[rmlew]

What was the WW2 joke avout the CVE's used for antisubmarine warfare and to prive air support for invasions? CVE stood for Combustible Vulnerable and Expendable.
I hope the Joint High Speed Vessels never run into mine or anti-tank missiles.