US Marines Demonstrate Ultra Heavy-Lift Amphibious Connector Prototype 91
Zothecula writes In a recent demonstration carried out during RIMPAC 2014, the US Marines displayed and tested a fully-functional, half-scale prototype of its new amphibious transport vehicle. The proposed full-size version of the Ultra Heavy-Lift Amphibious Connecter (UHAC) is designed to power across the water with a payload of nearly 200 tons at up to 20 knots and be capable of driving up on to the shore and over the top of obstructions up to 10ft high.
Re:Haven't we seen something like this before (Score:4, Insightful)
The tracks on this one look rather different: it seems that it's massive air-filled chunks in the tracks that provide bouyancy, not the hull. This seems to be designed to cross muddy bogs as well, something I doubt that much older vehicle could do.
Certainly anphibious assult vehicles are not a new concept, but this one does look really cool.
Re:20 knots isn't that fast (Score:5, Insightful)
This has three times the capacity of the LCAC but takes up the same amount of space in an Amphibious Assault Carrier. So even though it is half the speed, it will be able to transfer equipment to shore at a 50% greater rate than LCAC.
Re:20 knots isn't that fast (Score:2, Insightful)
No one. Read about the LCACs; they are maintenance beasts and the Marines are reducing their number by half. This thing looks a bit maintenance heavy too, but with 3X the carrying capacity it's still a cost savings in terms of cost/ton carried.
These are used not just to invade, but on humanitarian missions as well. They're one of the few craft that can land on a ravaged or destroyed or undeveloped coastline, and with a 200 ton carrying capacity they can carry some seriously heavy construction equipment. That allows the marines to drop in engineers that can build up a temporary dock in a ravaged place like during the 2004 Tsunami or the Haiti earthquake, allowing for cargo ships to land with relief supplies and medical personnel.
The military's primary mission is to project the nation's will through force when called to do so, but that is not their only mission. They are a well equipped, well disciplined, highly trained force, which makes them the best first responders in all sorts of crises.