Congressional Delegation Visit Stiletto
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060902-02
Release Date: 9/2/2006 2:37:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Rialyn C. Rodrigo, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific
CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- A Congressional delegation visited Stiletto, a high-speed, carbon fiber-reinforced craft being tested with Navy expeditionary forces and U.S. Special Operations Command and currently operating out of the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Aug. 29.
The Congressional team, headed by Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, 6th District of Maryland and member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, rode Stiletto and learned about its capabilities, design and construction.
“I think the visit went very well, and the visitors enjoyed the ride and got a lot of information,” said Frank G. Wakeham, project manager for operational experimentation of Stiletto. “They seem to be intrigued with Stiletto and impressed with what we have done.”
Stiletto is the first and largest carbon fiber boat built in the United States and is an Office of Force Transformation (OFT) initiative jointly sponsored by OFT and Special Operations Command. Its unique “M-Hull” channels water underneath the craft, providing lift and reducing drag, shock and wake.
The hull is constructed of a strong, lightweight carbon fiber material that lightens structural weight, increases vessel, payload fraction and operational cargo and lowers maintenance costs.
“We were very pleased to host the Congressman and his delegation and I think they were able to glean useful information from their visit to Stiletto,” said Capt. Neil R. Parrott, Stiletto project officer from the Office of Force Transformation.
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