STOVL joint strike fighter carrier

Abstract

This is a displacement vessel shown configured for STOVL aircraft operations, providing multiple, into the wind launch positions. Widely separated port and starboard hulls carry transverse decks; this wide separation eliminates heeling and allows the vessel to maneuver without rudders. Pairs of torque tube legs connect the hulls; these round tubes would twist to absorb otherwise destructive stresses produced from grounding of a single hull. Within the hulls are ballast tanks so the vessel can be submerged to a small waterplane, creating a very stable platform; or to a heeled and lowered position to discharge amphibious vehicles. Motor driven propellers provide the propulsion for very high speed, made possible by narrow hulls. Combined with active fins to minimize pitching, this vessel will provide a stable platform in most seaways.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In existing twin hulled vessels for ocean service, beam has been restricted by conventional naval architectural considerations, where the improvement herein consists of a vessel with wide separation of the hulls to eliminate heeling and allow rudderless maneuvering.  
     
     
         2 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the wide separation is described by proportional means including that the overall waterline beam is about half, or greater than half the length of the hulls; that this length is about twice, or less than twice this beam.  
     
     
         3 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the structure connecting the widely separated hulls is protected from an otherwise destructive impact to a single hull's bow by flexible means including attaching the transverse beams to the hulls with torque tube legs, to initially absorb the momentum of the other, unimpacted hull.  
     
     
         4 . The vessel of  claim 1  where high speed may be attained by hydrodynamic means including narrow ship hulls with a high theoretical hull speed; and eliminating drag caused by rudders and hydrodynamic interactions between the hulls.  
     
     
         5 . The vessel of  claim 1  where cargo can be carried high above the waves without transporting the deadweight of ballast carried in conventional container ships, by stability means including the widely separated ship hulls and the midship location of the deck.  
     
     
         6 . The vessel of  claim 1  where a semi-submerged state may be attained by ballast means including submerging the normally surfaced double ended ship hulls, creating an even more stable platform.  
     
     
         7 . The vessel of  claim 1  where a third transverse hull is attained by sealant means including beams, hanger deck and elevator components carried above the ship hulls, so that the vessel may float on this barge hull to avoid detection, and subsequently re-emerge, if the ship hulls are sufficiently intact.  
     
     
         8 . The vessel of  claim 1  where assembly within readily available drydocks is achieved by positioning means including offsetting the ship hulls during assembly, then using the torque tube legs as pivot points to allow post docking expansion to the full separation.