Pacscat

Lets see now… SES… called by the French AQL (aeroglisseur a quilles laterales) [sidewall craft], and “Sidewall ACV” [air cushion vessel] by the USSR.

Sweden/Norway: SES 3400 Jet Rider; 2 ~passenger ferrys, operational from 1988. Tech assist from Textron Marine Systems, USA, which passed data from the Sweden/Norway project to the US Navy for its SES Minesweeper study.

Spain; BES-16, SES research project of Bazan, CHACONSA, and the Spanish MOD. A project for a 55 meter helicopter-capable missile patrol boat (BES-50) was started in 1989.

France; many SES programs, from 1980 onward, including a 46 meter 200 ton helicopter-capable patrol boat (Gazelle/Dauphin), a 200 ton passenger ferry, a 4,000-5,000 ton “escort vessel” (2-76mm guns, 1-octuple SAM launcher, 2 quad ASM launchers, 2 twin light cannon, 2 Puma/Sea King class helicopters) or (1-76mm gun, 2 quad ASM launchers, 1 CIWS, 3 Lynx class helicopters).

Germany; MTG (Marinetechnik Gmbh) since 1984, 67 meter 700 ton SES test craft for the West German Navy; Blohm & Voss 36 meter SES test craft launched 1989.

USSR; numerous since at least 1979; including Plamya (26.1 meter 34.5 ton landing craft for 7.3 ton vehicle); a 23.5 meter SES passenger ferry since 1979; Zarnitsa, Orion, & Rassvet (details of these 3 unknown to me); Turist (250-300 seat “Sidewall ACV” passenger ferry & mixed-traffic version [10-15 cars & 100-120 passengers]); LUCH-1 (22.6 ton “Sidewall ACV” passenger ferry for river use, built by Astrakhan shipyard, trials in 1983, for service on “high-wave” rivers such as the Don, Kama, Oka, and Volga); more.

USA; 1988 USN “Intra-Theater Logistics Transport” study for a 111.25 meter 1,800 ton 45 knot RO/RO SES transport (looked a lot like the UK “Round Table” class LST/LSL, but with “high-displacement sidewalls” and inflatable cushions for beaching operations) to carry a full Infantry Battalion or tanks & vehicles up to 453,592 kg (1,000,000 pounds).

All of these craft had rigid sidewalls with inflatable bow & stern skirts.

And that’s just what I photo-copied from a ~1988 Jane’s Fighting Ships 0ver 15 years ago… imagine how many could be found now?

Otherwise known as the Surface Effect Ship or SES concept. Check out the Russian Dergach missile boats for an indication of how long the idea has been knocking around.

Good idea for a landing craft though!.

I’ve heard of PASCAT before, it stands for Partial Air Cushion Supported CATamaran vessel. QinetiQ is going to build a technology demonstrator, pic and info here http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroom/news_releases_homepage/2007/1st_quarter/qinetiq_is_awarded.html