Multiple Perspective
Trimaran USS Independence (LCS-2)
Hydrofoil and air cushion vessels turned out to be too expensive, complex, and very limited in capabilities. WIG seems to be more promising, but even more difficult to build and operate. However, the designers did not want to abandon the dream of speed. Another option for its implementation was multi-vessel ships. They are now gradually becoming mainstream.
Two-body (catamarans) and three-body (trimarans) vessels are much easier to build than hydrofoil (CCP) ships, air-cushion ships (WICs) and ekranoplans. Simply because multi-vessel ships are, in their construction, essentially a type of ordinary ships. In addition, each of the hulls can be made very narrow, which is absolutely unthinkable for a single-displacement vessel. This provides a sharp decrease in wave resistance without any distortions such as hydrofoils and an air cushion. At the same time, the stability of the vessel not only does not decrease, but even increases, because the hull can be spread far enough. They are connected by a bridge hanging above the water. It can be very broad, and there are no special restrictions on its form. Accordingly, there is the prospect of building, for example, a multi-unit aircraft carrier with a wide and comfortable flight deck.
True, no option is complete without flaws. A very narrow body has a rather significant draft, precisely because of its narrowness, it is deeply immersed in water. Especially if a heavy bridge still presses against it. As a result, instead of the wave resistance, which is caused by the cross section of the underwater part of the hull, the resistance due to the friction of water on the hull (it is determined by the size of the wetted surface) begins to play a serious role. In addition, a vessel with a large draft has significant limitations in terms of the ability to walk in shallow water and enter many ports and harbors.
To eliminate this drawback, an alternative scheme for a multi-vessel vessel was invented. Instead of narrow bodies, it was decided to make torpedo bodies. With their help, it was also possible to ensure a sufficiently high rate with a rather small draft. This scheme is called SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin-Hull, catamaran with a small waterline area).
Multicase vessels are very carried away in the United States. Back in 1984, an experimental boat Sea Shadow was built in the USA. It simultaneously worked out the catamaran scheme with torpedo-shaped hulls and the technology "Stealth" for the hull topside. Therefore, in the form of "Sea Ghost" is very similar to the coffin. The main thing for him was precisely the invisibility, and not the speed that made up the entire 13 nodes. In 2009, he was withdrawn from the US Navy.
Battle Trident - plug-and-play ship
The next experimental ship was Sea SLICE. It was built according to the same SWATH scheme, while in reality there were not two but underwater hulls (two two behind each other on each side). It had a length of 32 m, and a width of 17 m, while developing the speed of 30 nodes. A normal ship with such a ratio of length and width would most likely not move at all. On Sea SLICE, the installation of replaceable weapon modules was successfully tested.
In the 2006 year, the much larger catamaran Sea Fighter, also known as X-Craft, was commissioned. Its displacement reached 1000 t, length - 80 m, width - 22 m, speed - 50 nodes. The ship was created in a modular design, it can be used for the transfer of special forces, as well as a minesweeper, anti-submarine or strike ship.
The five-shell Stiletto boat, shaped like a pancake, became highly original. It is almost entirely made of carbon composites, it has no add-ons, which provides very little conspicuity. In addition, the boat has almost no wake. Displacement - 63 t, length - 24 m, width - 12 m, draft - less than 1 m. Speed - up to 50 nodes, range - 500 miles (900 km). The boat is designed for quick transfer of combat swimmers (up to 12 people) to the place of operation. It can also be used as a minesweeper. Despite their small size, the designers managed to cram a speedboat for special forces, a small unmanned aerial vehicle and a small-sized underwater vehicle onto the boat.
Since 2003, the Swift catamaran HSV-2 has been used as a control ship for the ministry of the United States Navy. With a length of 98 m, it has a width of 27 m, the draft is only 3,6 m, it develops a maximum speed of the 53 node. Swift's cruising speed is the 34 node, that is, higher than the maximum speed of ordinary ships.
The catamarans and trimarans turned out to be the majority of the projects proposed for the construction competition for the US Navy LCS series (Littoral Combat Ship, coastal combat ship). The George W. Bush administration was very fond of this project. The US Navy has achieved absolute superiority over all fleets peace in the open ocean, but they didn’t have such an advantage near the coast, especially since the Americans had not built ships smaller than a frigate for many years. LCS and had to fill a niche.
Now, however, there are new trends in Washington, the Obama administration has cooled off to the project. First of all, because it turned out to be too expensive. Nevertheless, it was decided to build two experimental ships of each of the projects that reached the final of the competition. One of the finalists, Independence, proposed by General Dynamics, is a trimaran. It has a displacement of 2,7 thousand tons, a length of 128 m and a width of 28 m, while being able to reach a maximum speed of 47 knots. Despite its relatively small size, it carries two SH-60 helicopters, as well as several drones, and not only reconnaissance, but also shock. A heavy CH-53 helicopter can also land on the deck of the ship. In addition, high-speed inflatable boats for special forces are based on board the ship. Independence is armed with a 57mm cannon, a self-defense anti-aircraft missile system, it is possible to install anti-ship missiles, as well as anti-mine equipment.
LSC-2. Corvette-trimaran near sea zone.
Of course, of particular interest in the United States is the construction of multi-hull high-speed transport vessels that would solve the problem of strategic mobility. Here Australia was ahead of the rest. And it is the Australian company Austal Ships that builds transport catamarans for the United States (Joint Venture, Westpack Express, etc.; it also, by the way, built Independence). They have a length of 90-100 m, a width of 26 m, and a maximum speed of 35-40 knots. Landing capacity is 300-1000 people, up to 15 tanks or up to 250 units of automotive equipment. This implies the possibility of landing people and equipment on an unequipped coast, as from an ordinary landing ship.
It is believed that a group of 10-12 such ships is capable of transferring a brigade of ground forces or marines in 10 hours to 900 km. Neither military transport aviation, nor ordinary transport ships are able to solve such a problem (the first - because of the low carrying capacity, the second - because of the low speed). Judging by the latest press reports, the United States intends to build such a group (at least 12 high-speed transport catamarans within the framework of the JHSV (Joint High Speed Vessel) program, and some of these vessels will be transferred to the U.S. Army. The Austal American branch began construction of the first catamaran under this program at the end of December 2009, its transfer to the US Navy is expected in 2012.
Chinese missile boat pr. 022 "Hubei"
In fact, the Chinese have become the only rivals of the Americans in the construction of multihull ships. They built a small series (3 or 4 units) of missile boats of the 022 "Hubei" missile, similar in design to Sea Shadow (that is, they are not only speedy, but also invisible). However, if the American "ghost" did not have weapons, then Chinese boats (their length is 43 m, width is 12, speed is about 40 nodes) carry eight of the latest YJ-83 anti-ship missiles and AK-630 artillery. Therefore, it was the Chinese boat that became the world's first military catamaran, and not an experimental one, but a serially built one. According to some reports, it is planned to build such boats before 40.
Apparently, it is multi-vessel vessels that will become winners in the race for speed. They best combine the speed, carrying capacity and seaworthiness. Catamarans are already quite actively used as passenger ships in closed seas at not very long distances (for example, on the Mediterranean Sea). Here they become a competitor to aviation. There is almost no doubt that ahead is the construction of sufficiently large high-speed catamarans to be used as cargo-passenger ferries, as well as amphibious ships. Of course, they will not be able to completely supplant the traditional single-hull vessels and especially aviation, but the prospects for such vessels are very good. There are no special doubts that there will appear also combat multihull ships and boats.
Alas, here Russia has no chance. As usual, we didn’t catch the mainstream. We have been engaged in useless PDAs for a long time, unpromising KVP, interesting, but too complicated WIG. But we have no catamarans and trimarans even in the project.
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