Hovercraft are equipped with wings that generate lift, raising the hull above the water’s surface, thereby reducing drag on the hull and increasing speed.
Hovercraft are very suitable for the tourism industry, but it is important to note that these civilian vessels are very different from military ships.
In the 1960s, in response to threats from submarines, the U.S. Navy equipped a series of powerful and agile hovercraft. The first of these was the USS High Point of the Pegasus class.
This type of vessel can reach a maximum speed of 48 knots (about 89 km/h). In summary, they were among the fastest in the U.S. Navy’s arsenal during the 1970s. So why have most hovercraft disappeared since then?
This type of vessel can reach a maximum speed of 48 knots (about 89 km/h).
The first reason is the perception that smaller ships mean smaller crews and lower costs.
Unfortunately, this is only half true. A crew of about 21 is sufficient for these small, agile ships—but unfortunately, this has also limited their operational range.
Although the significant firepower of hovercraft makes them formidable weapons, operating them is extremely expensive. Cost-effectiveness was not proven, and in July 1993, they were decommissioned.
Operating hovercraft is indeed costly.
However, the U.S. Navy has not forgotten what this type of platform can achieve. In March 2019, they released a video showing an unidentified hovercraft in operation.
There are speculations that this vessel may be a high-speed attack craft and that the U.S. Navy might still be conducting experiments with hovercraft.
With the U.S. Army also developing solar-powered UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), we cannot dismiss any hypotheses related to military hovercraft.
Unidentified military hovercraft released by the U.S. Navy in a video in 2019.
