This Is the New Stealth Boat That Floats Using Gas
- Posted on September 1, 2011 at 9:38am by
Liz Klimas
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Supercavitation. Supercavi-what? That’s an intimidating term and it should be. Supercavitation is what helped create this new stealth boat; its design reduces friction a factor of 900.
Ghost by Juliet Marine is newest in stealthy underwater vessels. (Photo: Juliet Marine)
Discovery News has background on this phenomenon, which allows the boat to reach speeds of 60 miles per hour with less radar visibility:
A new kind of boat is designed to move quickly and stealthily through water by generating a layer of gas around its underwater surfaces.
. . .
Supercavitation occurs when a projectile moving through water generates a low-pressure zone around its surface. Go fast enough and the low-pressure zone becomes a layer of gas. In that respect the [vessel] is similar to a Russian-made torpedo (called the “Shkval,” or squall), though the underwater portion of the boat’s twin hulls are a new design.
The Ghost, as the ship model is called, was created by Juliet Marine. President and CEO of the company Gregory Sancoff, said Ghost far exceeds previous stealth underwater craft designs. “The Sea Shadow was an 11-knot craft,” he said. “This is much faster.”
With interest in these vessels from the government, Juliet Marine is working with a defense contractor to build a 150-foot model. Discovery News reports that Ghost would most likely be used for close-to-coast missions, dealing with pirates or “swarm” attacks on aircraft carriers:
“Right now we have thousands of sailors whose only defense against high-speed craft is a .50 caliber machine gun from World War II,” Sancoff said.
Eric Wertheim, analyst at the U.S. Naval Institute, says the big issue for a boat like the Ghost will be identifying its niche within the military.
“This is a tough budget time to be introducing any technology that isn’t being specifically called for by the navy,” he said. “For the last 100 years the stealth boat has been the submarine,” he said. Submarines can do special ops missions too, as demonstrated by the fact that smugglers have recently made good use of them. “You have to answer the question of what is the need not being met,” he said.
Discovery also noted Sancoff saying the vessel could have commercial applications. In making it larger, Ghost could hep move goods faster and save fuel.
[H/T Fox News]
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Comments (84)
brotherjohn
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:55pmmaggot!
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 6:32pm…………..used for close-to-coast missions, dealing with pirates or “swarm” attacks on aircraft carriers. Didn’t PT boats do this?
Report Post »avenger
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 7:45pmI want 2 of them…
Report Post »darkrage000
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 9:18pmStealth craft to get around blockades…
Report Post »now the muslim terrorists will use these to attack israel… watch and see
Sargon
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:36pmThis thing might bring Steven Seagal out of mothballs to make another Navy Seal movie.
Report Post »Ken2
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 7:10pmSteven Seagal is busy right now.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/steven-seagal-killed-my-puppy-says-man-seized-in-reality-tv-police-raid-2347845.html
Report Post »Canibul
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:33pmNice, but wanted to correct something. “President and CEO of the company Gregory Sancoff, said Ghost far exceeds previous stealth underwater craft designs.”
Well, excuse me, but that is not an underwater craft. And if someone makes it into one, it’s not going to be going very fast because it would be sinking.
Report Post »Ffatcat
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 2:02pmThis is indeed an underwater craft design. This boat does not float on top of the water. Buoyancy is provided by two submarine hulls. This is a type SWATH ship. http://usaboatreview.com/archives/2009/swath-ships/swath-ships.html
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 3:19pm@Ffatcat
Report Post »Great link! Thanks.
kanthonyb
Posted on September 4, 2011 at 2:19pmYou are correct in that the body of the craft is not submersible.
Report Post »triper57
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:32pmFunny but those look like hydrofoils that extend out on either side. Don’t we already have hydrofoil boats that will go faster than 60 mph?
Report Post »kanthonyb
Posted on September 4, 2011 at 2:23pmThe difference is that this boat uses a submerged pontoon for floatation rather than a foil to effectively lift the boat out of the water when in motion. Boeing designed and build both a military and commercial version of the hydrofoil in the late 70′s – early 80′s. Carter killed the program for the military.
Report Post »olddog
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:28pmGreat Ski Boat..
Report Post »ares338
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:28pmThey can now sneak up on illegal crappie fishermen and cheap at that!
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:22pmI want one.
Report Post »SenorStrange
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:03pmYeah, and let‘s keep this just between us so our enemies don’t know about it. They are gonna be so surprised when we spring it on them in a battle.
Report Post »CyberEnforcer
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:52pm“This Is the New Stealth Boat That Floats Using Gas” –shouldn’t be a problem to power this boat given our current administration…one thing we aren’t short on, a lot of hot air.
Report Post »Rightsofman
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:51pmWill the current administration have these made in China?
Report Post »MontanaRob
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:12pmOr Madagascar! I wonder which of the movie characters they’ll hire.
Report Post »Tiredwithit
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 6:36pmThe current administration will develop this technology to give to Israel’s enemies.
Report Post »Sassi1me2
Posted on September 4, 2011 at 7:56pmChina probably had their assembly-line running long-before ‘OURS’ even got off the Drawing Board!
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:26pmIf we hadn’t blown TRILLIONS on “stimulus” (translation: Obama greasing the palms of the super-banks that got us in trouble), then buying several of these wouldn’t be a problem for our Military.
This is new tech – we need it. We’d BETTER have it – because if we don’t – someone ELSE will. And they’ll figure out plenty of good uses for it, which we may not particularly like.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:43pmTARP went to the banks, Stimulus 1 went to the states and ultamely the unions. Stimulus 2 is not far away. More hate speach for the Tea party will increase shortly.
Report Post »biermaster
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:23pmThe Germans during WWII were working on something similar for the Submarines so as to extend their range and speed. It was suggested that it started as they were trying to get a burst of speed when they had been targeted to get them out of danger of dept charges. Unfortunately it made a lot of noise when starting up and running. They were trying to silence it when the war ended. This was one of the “secret” weapons the allies divided up after the war. England was supposedly given/taken this one. The US got the V1 and V2‘s as well as the improvements to the turbojets used in the 262’s. The French supposedly got the petrol production information/trials from coal.
Report Post »TheDebtWeAllPay
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:22pm@biermaster where can i find that info? i would like to read more about that
Report Post »proliance
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 8:36pmThe Russian torpedo mentioned in the article is also extremely noisy. So noisy in fact, that it is unable to use sonar and is unguided. More of an underwater rocket than torpedo.
I suspect this is also very noisy. The “stealth’ comes from its radar reflecting abilities, not its low sound level.
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:16pmI’d go bass fishin in it.
Report Post »TheDebtWeAllPay
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:14pmlike i always say if they are showing us this just think about the military hardware that they are not showing us
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:04pmMaybe we can get our president in it and sneak up on the Kenya shore, since I am sure they wouldn’t want him since they have seen the destruction here.
Report Post »RA0725
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:04pmSorry but it looks like a prop from a “B” movie.
Report Post »shazam3
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:28pmAnd just what did this morphadite piece of crap cost you and I. Just what we need a BS boat for some unknown use. Pirates or Aircraft carriers??? Aircraft carriers don’t show up alone anywhere they are the best defended ships in the world. And just how does this piece of crap get to where the “pirates” are at over open seas. OK guys lets say the radar can’t detect it but the wake can be detected and a drone deployed by some highschool dropout will blow this joke into little pieces. I’d love to see the outfit that made millions or billions from this fiasco.
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:40pmIt looks like a prop to you, probably because you don’t know what it takes to meet the challenges put before the engineers who have to make this work within reasonable financial constraints. Making something like this look cool would be far more expensive than what is already likely to be a seemingly obscene cost.
Report Post »SShink
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:52pmI am with you, man…
Report Post »An Industrial Designer and having worked on various projects for our men and women in harms way,
I have to say…This thing wreaks of BS. “B” movie prop is a good way to put it.
Those “grilles” on the sides alone will provide a huge radar signature.
I hope that this is a private venture and that they have not yet spent tax dollars on it.
TheCenturion
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:01pmBond, James Bond.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:47pmlicense to kill…..commies!
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:50amSweet! I’d put a turret on the top and call it the “Monitor II”
Report Post »last frontier
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:28amThe pirates wont be able to see it from there satellites, spy planes, or there highly advanced radar system made from rocks, trees, and empty beer cans.
Report Post »MacWell
Posted on September 3, 2011 at 8:00amroflmao
Report Post »Nations
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:26amIt is highly important that we keep our priorities in the correct mindset for defending our nation to the best of our abilities. Gays are counter productive. But, this craft is indeed important. We need to invest in this kind of edge before others take our ideas and use it on us. The Obama manifestations are not in keeping with what made our nation free and fantastic. He believes all 57 states need to be defended by a band of his own military group. Help. This man must be voted out.
Report Post »TreeTrimmerJim
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:48amObama said he had been in 57 states with one to go…. making the total number of states in Obama’s world, 58 states.
Report Post »AmericanPatriot01
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 12:24pmand that did not include Hawaii and Alaska
Report Post »evilhatemonger
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:21am“Right now we have thousands of sailors whose only defense against high-speed craft is a .50 caliber machine gun from World War II,” Sancoff said.
We still have it (the .50 caliber) because no one has been able to improve on it to any significant degree. Not because it sucks and we simply can’t seem to get rid of it.
Report Post »stinkybisquit
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:21amThe USS Barney Frank?
Report Post »JimmyP
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:17amAnd exactly what is its carbon footprint? Does it use Bio-diesel? Will its usage disturb the evening love song of indiginous whales, three oceans away. Perhaps, the snail darter will gasp at the emission of Ghost gas. Oh sure, greedy corporations can save precious money by moving flat screen TV’s faster to our shores, but how will union thugs be able to pocket more money to help the endangered middle class? If this thing moves at 60mph, won’t it make Congress look bad? How will BHO be able to get the optimal photo-op out of this thing moving at such a speed?
C’mom People, there are serious problems that MUST be resolved NOW!
Report Post »ScreaminEagle
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 3:24pmDidn‘t anyone goto FFATCAT’s link, these things have been around since the 80′s. There’s a lot more info at his/her link.
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:08amPopeye would be amazed? ka ka ka ka…Wells blow me down…
Report Post »bigfatslob
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:05amI’m pretty sure the vessel has specially designed ridges perpendiculat to water flow to create cavitation “gas” all along the hull. The idea is that the hull creates less friction while moving over a gas than a liquid.
Report Post »Bill in Texas
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:21amNo matter how it does it, It’s just cool.
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 1:25pmWow congratulations! I think your the first person to somehow talk about the subject of the article without weaving politics into it.
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