Since a high-profile launch at DSEI, CTruk’s first-in-class Twin Hulled Offshore Raider (THOR) Force Protection Craft variant has been put through its paces during a series of sea trials and promotional deployments.
The company’s military and security division team have spent the last two months fully exploring the 11m catamaran’s capabilities, pushing the boundaries to test the advantages of this innovative composite design for military and maritime security roles.
The craft has been trialled in a range of sea and weather conditions, including sea states of 4-5, where she proved to be supremely controllable. Twin hulled THOR continued to give a superior ride in quartering, beam and following seas, confirming the value of the stable catamaran platform which is a key advantage for troops and weapon systems.
CTruk’s amphibious operations specialist and THOR skipper, Matt Lane, said:
“This proof-of- concept vessel does exactly that, she proves the value of her relatively light weight for her size, as well as clearly demonstrating the strength and stability gained from a composite catamaran hull form. Initial WBV measurements are also positive, with command seats enabling crew to function normally even in high sea states and be delivered fit for task. We are delighted with performance so far.”
Development of this potentially game-changing Force Protection Craft variant continues, with new members of the CTruk CAP Consortium enhancing capability. CAP member Talking Headsets Ltd recently hosted the Director of Business Development for the Sonetics Corporation on board in London, demonstrating how this consortium, formed pre-DSEI 2013 with CTruk as the lead, continues to benefit members.
CTruk THOR also successfully completed a recent promotional tour along the UK’s south coast, impressing visitors and operators at Portsmouth and Poole as well as radar evaluators at Ramsgate.
[mappress] Press Release, December 11, 2013; Image: CTruk