Page 45: of Marine News Magazine (July 2014)

ately awarded 11 and within another a week, they added another 14 (LUT) Limited User Training Boats. So we were awarded for 25 to start. Once this phase is complete, we presume that they will start the full production phase at yet to be determined quanti- ties. The prospect to replace the entire U.S. Army ß eet of these vessels in the next 5 to 6 years is very good. Selection Criteria: Birdon, NAMJet or both?The bridge erection boat design that Birdon owns is not a typical boat de- sign. Almost a ß at bottomed boat Ð the vesselÕs exhibit only a 2 degree deadrise angle. Ducker says thatÕs a radically different design than the legacy boat that is a much more traditional, deep- V type hull. He added, ÒOur design is a much more stable platform, because when you look at the mission thatÕs in- volved here, it certainly makes a lot of sense. In addition to that, when you are trying to propel what is essentially a brick on the water, you need some- thing that is high thrust, heavy duty and durable. The Australian versions, for example, while they were quite stable, they (using other Jets) were not able to deliver the speed and thrust performance that the U.S. Army re- quired. It was decided that NAMJet was the only propulsion system that could satisfy both speed and thrust requirements for this type of project.Ó Special Conditions: High Turbidity / Riverine Environments The very nature of the work required of the new generation BEB involves toiling in riverine, sometimes highly turbid and muddy, debris choked wa- ters. That means that the propulsion systems for these shallow draft craft must not only be durable, theyÕve got to be able sustain prolonged service in PROPULSIONBridge Erection Boats provide support for construction of temporary bridges in combat areas. www.marinelink.com MN 45MN July14 Layout 32-49.indd 45MN July14 Layout 32-49.indd 456/18/2014 3:44:28 PM6/18/2014 3:44:28 PM