Could Catamaran Replace Army Landing Craft?

[Ike]

I saw this on Defense News. Anyone seen these or have comments?

Could Catamaran Replace Army Landing Craft?

The concept was developed by CNIM, a French firm based near Toulon. The company built one L-Cat prototype followed by four units for the French Navy. The craft have been tested on the US Navy's amphibious assault ship Wasp and landing transport dock San Jacinto. http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/01/15/high-speed-catamaran-surface-navy-association/21800451/

 

[Ad Hoc]

Ike

That L-Craft has been in development for about 10years. It seems to be a bit like the PASCAT in the sense that if you strip away the "gimicky" parts, then yes multihulls can play a role.

 

[graywolf]

There is a reason the military have not developed new landing craft. It is called "aircraft".

In case you have not noticed airplanes today carry loads that Landing Ship Tank could not carry in WWII. The can also be used to invade targets hundreds of miles from the ocean.

Yes, there are still uses for landing craft type boats, but not so much in the military.

 

[BMcF]

The US Army is currently working to build a new LCM to replace their large fleet of existing craft. From everything I've seen so far, the replacement craft will remain very similar overall to the exiting ones. The USN LCAC replacement program is well underway also.

So while there has been considerable US Army and Navy interest in the L-Cat and PASCAT (British) craft, the current large landing craft programs in the US are already pretty much committed to other options. In the future?..never know. There is also the USN T-craft design and variants of that still not built too.