Not sure what to make of this one. It was spotted earlier this week by a blogger near the radar testing range of the Navy Research Lab at Chesapeake Beach. He’s got some more pics.
I also noted this at my site and wrote:
Radar test target? Small-scale LCS testbed? Experimental Navy SEAL water ski system? Mock-up for a television commercial?
Hoax?
Go check it out. And check in if you have any info. Unless you have to kill anyone you tell. I don’t need to know that badly.
–posted by Murdoc
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Hoax or not, it looks cool.
Out here in “The Democratic Republic of Southern California” sometimes called San Diego if we see something like that we just assume that someone is shooting a movie or a TV program.
I think the Navy pays for there SEALS by hireing them out for movies. It’s not uncommon during the off season in mid week to see them out on Mission Bay in their rubber boats being chased by a camera boat.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
“Stewart’s Platoon”
Sure hope they’ve got a good snorkel. With any sea running that baby’s going be underwater most of the time.
One of these boats maybe? From http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/boats.htm
My picture link didn’t go in the first time because I did it as a link. this one, is what I meant: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/SEALBOAT-1.jpg
The obvious: a Cigar boat?
I can verify that this boat is a new stealth design but i cannot say its purpose or for what branch of the govenment it is for but i can say is the world is in for a whole new breed of stealth warfare
Look at her lines and compare with the LCS. She’s a 1/5 scale model. Same as the “sealboat”.
SEAL_BOAT (the images on this page) is actually the SEALION built by Oregon Iron Works for the US Navy. One has been built and is being tested by NSWCCD Combatant Craft and another is under contract (strong congressional interest)
Scale model of LCS…No.
No need, they build scale models for wind tunnel test, and wake test. The X-Craft is the technology demonstrator for the Littoral Combat Ship.
I believe what we saw in those pictures to be SEALION II.
heres a quote from the link below.
“SEALION II is scheduled for delivery to the Navy by December 2005. The second SEALION, as was the first, is being fabricated by Oregon Iron Works Inc. (OIW) under a $6 million contract from the Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md. No additional SEALION boats are planned.”
http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/oct_04_30.php
Cost 33 mill US
Privately owned boat
2 diesel engines
3 jet turbines
Only 1 in the world, but they will sell you one if you got the money.
Saw it today off Ft lauderdale cruising at 50kts in a 4 to 6 following sea. Boat ran with out any hickups. Except, it was on Radar.
Good use for Spec Ops, USCG Counterdrug interdiction, Miami Harbor Police & for use in a 007 movie drivven by Bond ( recall the Q Boat from The World is not Enough).
Nice.
more than two by OIW and more than one type. take ballest to semi submerge
more than two by OIW and more than one type. take ballest to semi submerge
New link here
http://penguinsix.com/2005/06/20/