Navy Testing Advanced High-Speed Craft
7
2,005
Edited by Robert H. Williams
The
Navy plans to begin testing the capabilities of its new Littoral
Surface Craft-Experimental, commonly referred to as “X-Craft.”
Developed by the Office of Naval Research, this high-speed, aluminum
catamaran is designed to test a variety of technologies that could
allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral, or shallow,
waters.
Officially, the ship’s been named Sea Fighter. X-Craft marks
the first time a catamaran was designed and built specifically for
the Navy.
When fully loaded, Sea Fighter can reach a speed of more than 50
knots and could travel up to 4,000 nautical miles without refueling.
Powered by a combination of diesel engines and gas turbines, the
262-foot platform will serve as a test bed for a number of new technologies.
The 26-member inaugural crew represents a mix of Navy and Coast
Guard personnel.