Navatek Launches Innovative Tech Demonstrator Craft

Navatek Ltd. has launched a largescale.

U.S. Navy technology demonstrator craft incorporating the company's proprietary, underwater "lifting body" technology. The Office of Naval Research. Arlington. Va., is funding the $18-million project, which began in 2000. The 160-ft.. 30+ knot craft, known as HYSWAC. has a full-load displacement of 340 LT. Sea trials of the new craft are expected to begin later this summer in waters off Hawaii.

The HYSWAC is designed to confirm on a large scale the three major benefits of underwater lifting bodies verified on an earlier, small-scale 65-ft., 50 LT Navatek lifting body demonstrator craft called M1DFOIL. as well as through extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies.

A former U.S. Navy Surface Effect Ship (SES-200) provided the parent hull of the HYSWAC, reducing project costs.

During the two-year project, Navatek removed the existing SES air lift system and all related components, and installed a 170-ton Navatek underwater lifting body incorporating a new propulsion drivetrain (engines, gearboxes, shafts and propellers) within the lifting body.

This allows the craft to be operated with variable immersion as speed increases with the parent hull fully out of the water at maximum speed. An aft crossfoil was also added for pitch stabilization and control, along with a proprietary advanced ride control system (ARCS).

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Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 24, Jul 2003

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