Innovative technology DARPA - floating conveyor "CAAT"

Recently, we constantly observe the development and creation of various types of armored military equipment. But universal technical means that can move quickly in several environments are developed mainly as needed. So, for example, when technical means were needed to develop the Arctic, they began to hastily create amphibians that could move on water, ice, snow and earth. Today, the US military required technical means capable of moving goods through water barriers, passing through marshy and sandy terrain. To realize all these features in one machine, the Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform program was developed, within the framework of which a prototype floating tank called "CAAT."

The purpose of this development is to provide with the help of innovative solutions to quickly transform any ships and container ships into original supply bases for use in conducting combat operations, conducting rescue operations without the need for construction or the availability of port-berthing infrastructure. The main purpose is to perform emergency and rescue tasks for the delivery of goods, residential solutions, medical care, food and water.

While it is not planned to supply this solution with weapons - the main purpose will be the transportation and delivery of goods. One can only wonder why the name Saat was called a tank. Maybe the force of habit has affected, to call the massive technique of tracked performance - a tank, maybe for other unknown reasons.

The most important feature of the SAAT is the execution of a tracked drive. It is completely different from the usual iron tracks and created from sealed plastic and soft tanks, inside which there is air. Such an unusual solution allows this technology to quickly and successfully move on the usual ground, overcome water obstacles, move cargo along sandy and swampy areas. The tracks allowed the tank to significantly reduce the pressure exerted on the supporting surface, and it does not exceed 0.14 kilograms per cm2.

Built an experienced amphibious tank is a reduced demonstrator scale 1: 5. DARPA wanted to show that design and innovative solutions embodied in the demonstrator work in real conditions, and work according to calculations. After a research test, CAAT will be transferred to the scientific department of the United States Navy. There they will finally decide the fate of the "Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform" program. Perhaps it will be selected for partial replacement of hovercraft, as a multi-purpose floating transport. If CAAT is adopted for further development, it can be put into service as early as 2015. The demonstrator has a length of just over 10 meters and weighs about four tons. The real CAAT will have a length of 50-60 meters and a weight of about 450 tons.

The concept of CAAT for the Navy is the delivery of standard (ordinary civilian) containers with universal transport from ship to shore or to the coastal region. A floating transporter is not required to unload (load) berthing solutions, he is able to get out onto the rocky or marshy shore, and also to deliver the transported cargo to the depths of the coastal zone. In the armed forces, it can be used in the implementation of unconventional plans for waging war, the rapid delivery of goods and ammunition to impassable areas and assistance to victims of accidents, catastrophes and disasters.

As you know, the delivery of large-tonnage cargo in a given area for any purpose, it is easiest to carry out by water. Thus, an average container ship can deliver about 5 000 20-foot containers or 100 thousand tons of cargo close to shore. A container ship can easily deliver cargo to rivers and lakes. But unloading containers can be quite difficult. With the provision of new floating transporters, using ship cranes, standard containers can be quickly delivered to the desired point of discharge. In addition, CAAT is not very sensitive to the presence in the water of foreign objects that are present in the water during natural disasters and catastrophes.


Information sources:
http://www.dailytechinfo.org/auto/3910-gusenicy-pontony-pozvolyayut-tanku-caat-peredvigatsya-po-vode-i-po-sushe.html
http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/11/darpa-captive-air-amphibious-transporter/
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?216094-DARPA-Captive-Air-Amphibious-Transporters-(CAAT)-For-Disaster-Relief
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aAxpJNI5u4Q

Comments

[itr]

In my opinion, this article has already been?

[Pimply]

Was, But, in principle, the topic is interesting, you can look at the repetition

[Igor]

An interesting development, in the future it is possible to replace hovercraft.

[understudy]

Quote: Igorek

it is possible to replace hovercraft in the future

Rather, it is from the section of engineering curiosities. But the idea is interesting.

[Edya]

He will not go further than testing since he is very expensive and most likely will not be effective for missile hits from a bazooka ....... It’s better to do what you know and not to jump above your head

[Wedmak]

And how quickly will the tracks wear out when traveling on hard soils? And what will happen when logs fall between the tracks. Or hit a mine? In general, dofiga questions - but the car is interesting.

[Kir]

Hurray comrades, We are humanity. although everything else didn’t make us happy again with a new miracle of technology! And if without jokes and jokes, then all the same, as always, they are trying to create something with the same enviable stubbornness more like a schiz. more similar to the technique from the films of utopias and unscientific fiction, let the nuns go out, maybe their budget will be finally ruined, at least some benefit to the whole world will be !!!
The phrase was especially pleased
"... The goal of this development is to ensure the rapid transformation of any ships and container ships into a kind of supply base with the help of innovative solutions."
I don’t know about any vessels, how about vessel-vessels. but with regards to others, Yes, and the very replacement of WUAs by this miracle, it is also more likely to say that there is a tendency to attempt to replace more complex and expensive units with less complicated ones.

[vladds]

Another throwing money down the drain! in this prototype, the big minus is not its mobility, (lack of wheels) the vehicle itself must travel at high speed both in the deserts and on the roads! his water speed is normal, although to be honest with one shot from a grenade launcher you can destroy it, and a barrier 1.5 meters or more above the water level will make him go around and look for a lower barrier! to break such a caterpillar with a mine is harder but possible! and replacing or repairing such a track will be problematic! as you see the caterpillar so far from combustible plastic materials and so on! in other words, it’s not a tank but a fake! to beat the dough from the state!

[Igor]

Quote: vladds

in this prototype, the big minus is not its mobility, (lack of wheels) the vehicle itself must travel at high speed both in the deserts and on the roads!

The article must be read carefully !!! The CAAT concept for the Navy is the delivery of standard (ordinary civilian) containers by universal transport from a ship to the shore or to the coastal area. A floating transporter does not need berth solutions for unloading (loading), he is able to get out onto a rocky or swampy shore, and also deliver a transported cargo to the depths of the coastal zone.

Quote: vladds

although to be honest one shot from a grenade launcher can destroy it

Can't a hovercraft be destroyed?

[vladds]

Yeah! A FUEL CONSUMPTION OF THESE TRANSPORTERS? it’s easier to stretch the cable from the shore to the ship and transfer loads on the platform along them! only the platform should be wisely designed which also does not need a cushion air cushion! no fuel consumption! add silence to it

[gridasov]

If DARPA is engaged in the development of such a technique. Primitive at the heart of the physical process by which the movement in space is carried out, then all the other opponents of the Americans can be calm.

[Asgard]

\ such a caterpillar is not viable ......
I think it won’t go further than prototypes or no more than a ton of such pokatushki for entertainment hunters with a carrying capacity ....
I’m why, it’s planned to make a container carrier on such a base, and It’s 20 tons in a container, 2,4 tons standard 6-meter + tractor itself Well, I think that 15 tons will be packed .... AND-TOGO = 38 tons ... with high center of gravity, When hitting an obstacle or folding terrain, one such block will have to withstand (short-term)) an impact of 15 tons, which with such kinematics of the caterpillar looks suspicious, in the sense of overcoming the loads on the floating segment and resistance to deformation and torsion (lateral loads) ) ...

Then, such cargo carriers can only move on a level terrain like a table. Departure to a steep coast, when driving on a slope of more than 15% in any direction, will not be able to similar devices with high profile lumps and an overestimated center of gravity of the whole vehicle .....

[Honory]

The machine is ugly, interesting, probably effective, but it looks like it will remain in 1 copy.