Page 27: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2011)

Fast Track Amphibian LLC has devel- oped a solution that employs only the tracks to provide propulsive power on land and water. For the last 10 years FTA LLC has researched, designed and built a concept demonstrator, and shown the ability to achieve high land and water transit speeds with the ability to navigate over difficult terrain. Recently on display and demonstrated at the Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) at Naval Ex- peditionary Base Little Creek, the Fast Track Amphibian concept demonstrator was viewed by many, with similar reac- tions ? interest that a vehicle could achieve its primary water propulsion via tracks only, and then amazement at the speeds achieved to date by FTA LLC on both land (65 mph) and water (39 mph). Particularly so when considering the 2500 pound concept vehicle (FT1) is powered by a single 148 hp, Rotax snow- mobile engine and driven by a belt driven continuously variable transmission. The engineers at FTA LLC had to resolve one central challenge to make the concept ve- hicle operational: develop a system to keep the water from adhering to the tracks and recirculating as the track RPMincreased. They resolved this issue via a specially designed diverter system, al- lowing the track to operate efficiently in the water. The FT1 can transit over and thru difficult conditions such as marshes, mud-flats, shallow waters, sandbars, and debris filled waters . It can enter water at high speed and maintain that high speed,as well as starting from a dead stop in thewater. Water to land transitions can be made quickly as well, with no need tostop and reconfigure the vehicle. FTA LLC?s concept demonstrator provides a starting point for what is possible withtheir technologies, which can be scaledup or down for use in multiple vehicle concepts and missions. The Wernicke brothers (Ken and Rod), both retired aeronautical engineers, have completed preliminary designs for vehicles ranging from a <50 lbs unmanned vehicle up to a 3-ton capacity cargo transport. Mission Flexibility: A track propulsion USV ca- pable of conducting reconnaissancealong constricted water ways but then being able to transit ashore for land re-connaissance as well. A Riverine Pa- troller that affords its operators the flexibility to launch and recover at any lo- cation desired, not being restricted tothose locations with prepared trailered-boat launch capabilities. Craft capable ofcarrying a squad of Marines or Soldierswould be able to transit over land and water with minimal delays as they maThe Fast Track Amphibian is a concept ripe for continued refinement of its subsidiary systems, and design of vehicles that will perform those missions called for by var- ious operators. FTA LLC is ready to move forward in designing and building a new prototype in order to demonstrate a more refined, robust vehicle to the many potential users of this type capability. As a small company, it is teaming with other companies that bring systems engineer- ing, operational mission thinking, andmanufacturing capabilities to the table. Email: [email protected] www.fasttrackamphibian.com October 2011www.marinelink.com 27Fast Track Amphibian Increased Flexibility for the Amphibious Mission MR Oct.11 # 4 (25-33):MR Template 10/6/2011 4:18 PM Page 27