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EP-4737294-A1 - IMPROVED LANDING CRAFT

EP4737294A1EP 4737294 A1EP4737294 A1EP 4737294A1EP-4737294-A1

Abstract

A landing craft (10) comprising a hull (100). The hull (100) extends along an x-axis, a first end (102) of the hull (100) and a second end (104) of the hull (100) spaced apart from one another along the x-axis. The hull (100) extends along a y-axis, a first side (106) of the hull (100) and a second side (108) of the hull (100) spaced apart from one another along the y-axis. The hull extends along a z-axis, a base side (110) and a top side (112) of the hull (100) spaced apart from one another along the z-axis. The landing craft (10) comprises a hydrofoil assembly (200) located on the base side (110) of the hull (100). The hull (100) comprises a locker (134) configured to receive the hydrofoil assembly (200) in a storage position (SP). The locker (134) defines a storage space (136) within which the hydrofoil assembly (200) is received. The locker (134) comprises a door/flap which closes the storage space (136).

Inventors

  • The designation of the inventor has not yet been filed

Assignees

  • BAE SYSTEMS plc

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241029

Claims (15)

  1. A landing craft comprising a hull wherein: the hull extends along an x-axis, a first end of the hull and a second end of the hull being spaced apart from one another along the x-axis; the hull extends along a y-axis, a first side of the hull and a second side of the hull being spaced apart from one another along the y-axis; the x-axis being at right angles to the y-axis; the hull extends along a z-axis, a base side and a top side of the hull being spaced apart from one another along the z-axis, the z-axis being perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis; the landing craft further comprising a hydrofoil assembly located on the base side of the hull; and wherein the hull comprises a locker configured to receive the hydrofoil assembly in a storage position (SP) ; wherein the locker defines a storage space within which the hydrofoil assembly is received; and the locker comprises a door or flap which closes the storage space.
  2. A landing craft as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the hydrofoil assembly comprises a first wing section, wherein the hydrofoil assembly is extendable from the base side, and the first wing section extends part, but not all, of the way across the base side in the direction of the y-axis; and the hydrofoil assembly is operable to move between a deployed position (DP) in which the hydrofoil assembly is spaced apart from the base side by a first distance (D1) and a storage position (SP) in which the hydrofoil assembly is located in contact with at least some of the base side and/or spaced apart from the base side by a second distance (D2) which is less than the first distance (D1).
  3. A landing craft as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hull is configured such that the landing craft has: a first mode of operation in which the watercraft is supported by a fluid; a second mode of operation in which at least part of the lower surface of the hull of the watercraft is engaged with a substrate; a third mode of operation in which the watercraft transitions from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation; and a fourth mode of operation in which the watercraft transitions from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation.
  4. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the hydrofoil assembly is located closer to the first end of the hull than to a mid point between the first end and the second end; or the hydrofoil assembly is located closer to the second end of the hull than to the mid point between the first end and the second end.
  5. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the base side of the hull is substantially flat.
  6. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein: the hull comprises a first hull extension provided on the base side of the hull between the first side of the hull and the second side of the hull; the first hull extension extending in a direction away from the hull in the z-axis and along the base side of the hull along the x-axis at least part of the distance between the first end of the hull and the second end of the hull.
  7. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein: the hull comprises a first hull extension provided on the first side of the hull and a second hull extension provided on the second side of the hull; the first hull extension and second hull extension extending in a direction away from the hull in the z-axis and along the base side of the hull along the x-axis at least part of the distance between the first end of the hull and the second end of the hull; a central portion extending between, and spacing apart, the first hull extension and the second hull extension, such that the central portion, first hull extension and second hull extension define a cavity on the underside of the landing craft.
  8. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the hull comprises a first hull extension provided on the first side of the hull, a second hull extension provided on the second side of the hull; a third hull extension provided between, and spaced apart from, the first hull extension and the second hull extension; the first hull extension, second hull extension and third hull extension extending in a direction away from the hull in the z-axis and along the base side of the hull along the x-axis at least part of the distance between the first end of the hull and the second end of the hull such that a first sub-cavity is provided between the first hull extension and the second hull extension and a second sub-cavity is provided between the second hull extension and the third hull extension.
  9. A landing craft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hydrofoil assembly extends from the base side of the hull between the first side of the hull and the second side of the hull.
  10. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the base side defines a channel for receiving the hydrofoil assembly in the storage position (SP), the channel being configured such that when the hydrofoil assembly is in the storage position (SP), outermost surface of the hydrofoil assembly is flush with, or recessed into, the surface of the base side.
  11. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrofoil assembly comprises: a first support arm which extends from the base side proximate to the first side of the hull; and a second support arm which extends from the base side proximate to the second side of the hull; and the first wing section extends between the first support arm and the second support arm.
  12. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrofoil assembly comprises: a first support arm which extends from the base side halfway between the first side of the hull and the second side of the hull, and the first wing section extends from the first support arm.
  13. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrofoil assembly comprises: a first support arm which extends from the base side proximate to the first side of the hull and between the first side of the hull and the second side of the hull, and the first wing section extends from the first support arm; a second support arm which extends from the base side proximate to the second side of the hull and between the first side of the hull and the second side of the hull; and a second wing section which extends from the first support arm; the second wing section being spaced apart from the second wing section along the x-axis and/or the y-axis.
  14. A landing craft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the hydrofoil assembly is configured to generate no lift in the z-axis.
  15. A landing craft as claimed any one of claims 1 to 14 further comprising a propulsion system, where the force producing part of the propulsion system is fixed relative to the hull.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a landing craft. BACKGROUND Landing craft are watercraft used to travel on water and to travel up a shoreline to convey people and equipment from the water to land. Conventionally landing craft design and functionality is based around the need to be configured to run up onto a shoreline, but may not provide a comfortable/stable ride for passengers. However, as typical journeys from a mother ship to shore are short, the discomfort levels are acceptable. However, there is a need for the journey distance to increase to keep the mother ship further from shore, which means even if the water state was good at the beginning of the journey, it may change during the journey. It is generally the case that passengers in a landing craft need to be able to perform duties as soon as they land, and so a landing craft which provides an unstable ride over a long journey may make a set objective more difficult to achieve. Other operational requirements (for example the firing of weapons and/or the offloading of vehicles from the landing craft) may also be frustrated by conventional landing craft configurations, which may make them difficult to control and keep stable. Hence a landing craft which provides a more stable ride during travel (e.g. to avoid the passengers getting ill) or when stationary (for example receiving and/or offloading equipment) is highly desirable. SUMMARY According to the present disclosure there is provided an apparatus and system as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows. Accordingly there may be provided a landing craft (10) comprising a hull (100). The hull (100) extends along an x-axis, a first end (102) of the hull (100) and a second end (104) of the hull (100) being spaced apart from one another along the x-axis. The hull (100) may extend along a y-axis, a first side (106) of the hull (100) and a second side (108) of the hull (100) being spaced apart from one another along the y-axis. The x-axis may be at right angles to the y-axis. The hull may extend along a z-axis, a base side (110) and a top side (112) of the hull (100) being spaced apart from one another along the z-axis. The z-axis may be perpendicular to the x-axis and y-axis. The landing craft (10) may comprise a hydrofoil assembly (200) located on the base side (110) of the hull (100). The hydrofoil assembly (200) may comprise a first wing section (202), wherein the hydrofoil assembly (200) extends from the base side (110) in the direction of the z-axis, and the first wing section (202) extends part, but not all, of the way across the base side (110) in the direction of the y-axis. The hydrofoil assembly (200) may be operable to move between a deployed position (DP) in which the hydrofoil assembly (200) is spaced apart from the base side (110) by a first distance (D1) and a storage position (SP) in which the hydrofoil assembly (200) is located in contact with at least some of the base side (110) and/or spaced apart from the base side (110) by a second distance (D2) which is less than the first distance (D1). The hull (100) may be configured such that the landing craft (10) has a first mode of operation in which the watercraft is supported by a fluid. The hull (100) may be configured such that the landing craft (10) has a second mode of operation in which at least part of the lower surface of the hull of the watercraft is engaged with a substrate. The hull (100) may be configured such that the landing craft (10) has a third mode of operation in which the watercraft transitions from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation. The hull (100) may be configured such that the landing craft (10) has a fourth mode of operation in which the watercraft transitions from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation. The hydrofoil assembly (200) may be located closer to the first end (102) of the hull (100) than to a mid point between the first end (102) and the second end (104). The hydrofoil assembly (200) may be located closer to the second end (104) of the hull (100) than to a mid point between the first end (102) and the second end (104). The base side (110) of the hull (100) may be substantially flat. The hull (100) may comprise a first hull extension (118) provided on the base side (110) of the hull (100) between the first side (106) of the hull (100) and the second side (108) of the hull (108). The first hull extension (118) may extend in a direction away from the hull (100) in the z-axis and along the base side (110) of the hull (100) along the x-axis at least part of the distance between the first end (102) of the hull (200) and the second end (104) of the hull (100). The hull (100) may comprise a first hull extension (118) provided on the first side (106) of the hull (100) and a second hull extension (120) provided on the second side (108) of the hull (100). The fir