NorthSeaBoats

X-38High-SpeedCombatCatamaran

(PreliminarySpecifications.) GENERALDESCRIPTION TheX-38CombatCatamaranisarevolutionarystepped-hullhighspeeddesignconfiguredforpatrol,SARormilitaryuse.Itofferssuperiorsea-keeping,efficiency,speedandsafetyinalloperatingconditions. TheX38combatboatisdesignedtooffermultiplemissionprofilecapabilitieswithspeedsofupto40Knotsperhourusingtwinoutboards.Itisideallysuitedforrapidresponse,amphibiousdeploymentofcommandosorregularpatrolwork.Offeringsignificantlylesscostandriskthanotherhighvaluepatrolorcombatassets,theX-38canprovidecovertstrikingpoweragainstcriticaltargets,aswellasprotectingoff-shoreresourcesandassets..Itcanalsobeequippedwithenhancedsurvivabilityfeaturesforspecialwarfareoperations,oralsousedforreconnaissance,surveillance,lawenforcement,counter-piracy,medicalevacuationsandrescueoperations.Thiscutting-edgeexclusivedesigngivesminimumradarfootprintinhostileoperatingconditions.TheCombatboatwillhaveacrewof4,andiscapableofcarryinganadditional8fullyequippedtroops.Theforwardareahasthemainforward/sidefacinggun-pointsuitedforinstallationofM2407.62calibre,M-60,7.62or40mmgrenadelaunchers.Thecabinconsistsofdriver,navigator,engineerandgunnerand8manunitscanbeaccommodatedinrestrainedtransportseatsinthehulls. Thesternareaoftheboathasspacefor4-8Hellfiremissilesoutonthe sides,withanaftdeckinthecentresuitableforboarding,orfordivingandrecoveryoperations.Inplaceofthemissilesitispossibletoinstallminelaunchersorside/rearfacinglightmachineguns.Withpredictedspeedsof40+knotswithtwin250hpoutboards.Thiscutting-edgeSwedishdesignfromMarineDynamicsistheresultofmanyyearsofongoingresearchandhasaradicallongitudinalsinglestepthatreduceshullresistancewhenplanning.Theboatactuallyrideson4planningsurfaceswhichreduceinsizeastheboats’speedincreasesandtheboatriseshigheroutofthewater.Thisresultsinaboatthathasastable,levelridethatmakesitintoasuperiorarmsplatform. Thecatamarandesignprovidesverylowdraft,enablingbeachlandingsandaccesstoriverestuariesandareaswithshallowwaterthatnormallycannotbereachedwithconventionalcraft. CONSTRUCTION IsHand-laidcompositeGRP(fibreglass),withcoredsandwichpanels.Thehullismadeofmulti-directionalfibreglasslayers,withadditionalcarbonfibrestrengthenedstringers.Thebalsaandclosed-cellhighdensityfoamcoresincreasepanelstiffnessandreducetheweightusuallyassociatedwithsolidGRPboats.Thisoffersgreatstrengthandrobustnessandmaximiseshullintegrityintheeventofacollision. Theboatisself-drainingasthecockpitdeckisabovethewaterline. ENGINESANDPROPULSION Forsimplicityofmaintenanceandoperationtheboatispoweredbyoutboardmotors,usingtwomotorsandcounter-rotatingpropellers(otherengineconfigurationsarealsoavailable).Stainlesssteelpropellersarehighlyrecommendedforhigherperformanceandcomeasstandardwiththelarger sizeSuzukiengines.CurrentplanningistousethefuelefficientDF250hp.fourstrokeengines. ThenewSuzuki300Hpmodelwillbereleasedinearly2007.