High Speed Vessel (HSV)
Theater Support Vessel (TSV) ACTD

Since October 2001, the Marine Corps and Navy have been conducting concept based experiments with JHSVs in order to assess their capabilities and limitations within the context of Seabasing and Operational Maneuver from the Sea (OMFTS). Joint experiments are exploring commercially available high-speed, shallow draft vessels with advanced hull, propulsion, and communications technologies. As of 2004 there were four (4) vessels under lease by the Army, Navy and Marine Corps in support of experimentation. They are the HSV-2 Swift (USMC/USN), TSV-1X Spearhead (US Army), HSV-X1 Joint Venture (USN), and WestPac Express (USMC).

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) approved the FY2003 TSV Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) in September 2002. The Theater Support Vessel (TSV) ACTD will provide a mission essential asset that will support operational movement, repositioning and sustainment of combat forces.

An ACTD is a joint effort by the acquisition and operational (warfighter) communities within the Department of Defense (DoD). Typically, ACTDs begin by identifying significant military needs, and then matching them with technology programs ready to focus on a military application. The process has a close tie to the Joint Vision 2020 initiative and new capabilities are pursued within each of the operational concepts of dominant maneuver, precision engagement, focused logistics, full dimensional protection and information superiority.

The TSV gives the theater Commander a high-speed, intra-theater sealift capability to support all theater engagement requirements within his Area of Responsibility (AOR). The TSV will provide the capability to operationally move and maneuver combat ready unit sets from staging sites into the forward areas, and to provide follow-on sustainment, through degraded and minor ports. The TSV will carry 600 short tons of cargo, go 40+ knots and have a fully loaded range of 4,500 nautical miles. The vessel can perform trans-oceanic crossings totally unreplensihed. This technology will transform the Objective Force by providing the capability to rapidly re-position the Interim Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) up to 400 nm (equivalent to 245 C-17 sorties).

Capabilities to be tested include speed, high payload fraction, longer and more useful ranges and the ability to tailor the payload for optimum mission success. The joint-service experiment is being coordinated by the Navy Warfare Development Command in close partnership with elements of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

The joint-service experiment will be coordinated by the Navy Warfare Development Command in close partnership with elements of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The Army's focus for experimentation is to validate and assess the vessel's capability for meeting the needs of Army Transformation Concepts that will be considered are simultaneous deployment and employment of the Objective Force; fight on arrival; en route mission planning and rehearsal; passengers and equipment moving together; bypassing strategic and operational chokepoints; and entry operations at multiple points. Capabilities to be tested include speed, high payload fraction, longer and more useful ranges and the ability to tailor the payload for optimum mission success.

Austal's High Speed Sealift Ship

Based on Austal's leading technology and high speed aluminium platforms, the company has developed a range of vessels to meet numerous amphibious and logistics transport requirements. The ultra modern jet impeller technology could propel the catamaran with its light-weight aluminum hull up to speeds of 40 knots, four times faster than the LCU or LSV.

Austal's High Speed Sealift Ship designs or the TLV, Theater Logistics Vessels, fulfill a niche requirement in the global military marketplace for inexpensive, flexible and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) high-speed transport ships to bridge a capability gap between landing craft and large amphibious lift ships. The TLV features bow and stern loading ramps - the bow ramp for conventional port facilities whilst the rear articulated ramp design permits autonomous operations in shallow draft ports with austere or limited support facilities. A variety of propulsion systems can be configured to deliver service speeds in excess of 40 knots.

Austal developed the high speed Theatre Logistics Vessel to enhance the capability of military organisations to rapidly move large numbers of troops and cargo during military operations. The vessel has large bow and stern ramps enabling her to load and unload military vehicles in low infrastructure ports. With strengthened decks, internal hoistable ramps and mezzanine decks the vessel can carry a wide mix of military vehicles.

In addition to the custom design of the vessel to suit military application, a unique Austal design innovation is featured in the garage. The hoistable vehicle deck features 1190 lane meters including 341 freight lane meters and can facilitate a mix of vehicle and commercial/freight carriage. The hoistable deck (full length of the vessel) has four hydraulically operated sections that can be operated together or independently and can be raised or lowered in less than one minute.

Tirrenia Aries - Propulsion Test

The MDV 3000 Jupiter class Ro-Ro fast ferry Aries, along with her identical sistership Taurus, is the first high-speed monohull ferry to have a deadweight exceeding 1,000t, making it the biggest fast ferry in the world. They were built at Fincantieri's beautiful Riva Trigoso shipyard in Genoa.

Owned by state operator Tirrenia, the 40 knot ARIES and sister vessel TAURUS operate in Italian waters. The Tirrenia Navigazione fleet is divided into three categories: new ferries, fast ferries and regular ferries. The Aries, Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn vessels were added to the fleet in 1998 and 1999, and provide fast connections between Sardinia and Civitavecchia. The vessels can transport 1,800 passengers and 400 cars.

Tirrenia has been the first to put into service fast ferries. In 1992/1993 the GUIZZO and the SCATTO are commissioned, each capable of transporting up to 500 passengers at 40 knots (nearly 80 Km/h) on the routes Fiumicino/Golfo Aranci and Fiumicino/Arbatax.

Starting with 1998 and 1999, ARIES, TAURUS, SCORPIO and CAPRICORN are the fast ferries which satisfy the need of faster connections between Sardinia and the continent. Sailing at 40 knots, they reduce to four hours only the duration of the crossing for 1,800 passengers and 400 cars.

With a length of 145 meters and a width of 22, powered by four diesel engines and two turbines, these units guarantee the speed without forgetting the comfort: large halls with fitted carpets, armchairs reclining up to 85%, make the short trip also a pleasant one.

Four diesel engines and two gas turbines supply the power of 95,000hp. The gas turbines are connected to the two booster waterjets, while the diesels are connected to the biggest steering water jets ever built. The four diesel engines are MTU 20V 1163 20V TB73 L units rated 6,500kW each and the two gas turbines are LM 2500 systems rated at 22,000kW each. The system includes two double inlet reduction gears (diesel shafts), two reduction gears (gas turbines), two booster waterjets (gas turbines) and two wing steering waterjets (diesel shafts). The high flexibility of the propulsion system allows the ship to have three operative speeds.