The working principle of hovercraft is to utilize high-power fan to press a large amount of air into the bottom of the hull quickly, so that a pressure mass is formed between the bottom of the hull and the water surface, and the hull is partially or even completely lifted away from the water surface. This is like adding a flowing air cushion between the hull and the water surface, reducing the resistance of the water to the hull, thus allowing the boat to travel at high speeds on the water surface or land on the beach and other interfaces. The forward power of the hovercraft is also generally obtained by blowing air backward by a fan on the hull, as if the propeller power unit used in early airplanes. Cushion ship has many excellent characteristics, it is fast, acoustic magnetic field pressure field is small, good concealment, adaptability, etc., especially suitable for use in landing operations as a landing conveyor. However, there are also some shortcomings, mainly shorter range, large fuel consumption, lower economic benefits.
The picture on the right is the British Griffin 500TD military hovercraft ready to land.
The hovercraft has many excellent characteristics, so that it has a wide range of uses in the military. From the present point of view, the main aspects of its application in the military are:
Conveyor landing troops
Full cushion uplift hovercraft speed, and has the ability to land and drive, not only in the water at a certain height sailing, but also in the beaches, mud, swamps, rice paddies, ice and snow and other flat terrain on the landing, and can be at a certain speed across the height of the apron of the hovercraft is equivalent to 70% of the obstacles, across the hull equivalent to the height of 70% of the obstacles, and the hull equivalent to the apron of the hull, and the hull equivalent to the height of the apron. It can also traverse obstacles equivalent to about 70% of the height of the hovercraft's apron at a certain speed, cross trenches equivalent to one-third of the width of the hull, and adapt to most coastal zone environments. According to the research of the U.S. military, when the hovercraft is used as a landing conveyor, landing operations can be carried out in about 75% of the world's coastline, which shows that the hovercraft's adaptability to the landing site is very strong. When using hovercraft as a landing conveyor, it has many advantages compared with the traditional displacement conveyor. First of all, the hovercraft can directly transport the landing soldier over the beach or silt of the coast to the land, which not only improves the speed of landing, reduces the impact distance of the landing soldier on the shore, shortens the time exposed to the enemy's beach fire, but also can cross a considerable variety of natural and artificial obstacles to the landing, so that the landing point of the choice of a wider range, more flexible. In addition, basically ruled out the traditional landing mode of tide time selection difficulties, can realize the whole tide time landing, so that the choice of landing time is more flexible, increasing the initiative of their own side when landing. Therefore, the hovercraft is a more ideal landing operation landing conveyor tool, favored by the amphibious operation forces of various countries, in many countries amphibious operation forces have been more widely used.
The right picture for the Canadian "Airbus" pioneer V-18 military hovercraft landing operations.
Mine breaking
Hovercraft can be mostly or completely out of the water running, and its own magnetic field, pressure field and other characteristics are not obvious, the obstacles in the water generally have no effect on its role or role is small, the explosives in the water is not easy to be detonated by it. Such as the traditional obstacles to impede the drainage of ships and some shore obstacles to its inactivity, and general mines will not be in the hovercraft sailing through the explosion, and even if the explosion in the water near the hovercraft, the degree of damage to the hovercraft is far smaller than the drainage of ships, because the hovercraft cushion underneath can be quite a bit of reduction in the water to reduce the impact of the explosion shockwave. Utilizing this point can also use the hovercraft as a mine-clearing platform, carrying mine-clearing equipment mine clearance. When the hovercraft as the obstacle breaking detachment transportation platform and work platform, because of its high speed can save a lot of voyage time, but also can make use of its characteristics of the obstacle, will break the obstacle detachment in the obstacle area free transportation, so that you can take a flexible and varied section of the obstacle breaking method, speed up the process of breaking the obstacle operation, improve the efficiency of breaking the obstacle.
The picture on the right shows a recent U.S. 1874 military hovercraft on border patrol.
As a weapons platform
Hovercraft as a means of transportation has many advantages: fast speed, affected by sea waves and other sea conditions, the hull of the low stealth better. The use of hovercraft carrying anti-ship missiles for anti-ship operations, often can achieve the effect of surprise attacks. Some military experts believe that the anti-ship missiles loaded with small hovercraft anti-ship capabilities, even with a displacement of 2,000 -3,000 tons of missile frigates comparable. In addition, the hovercraft is a good anti-submarine platform because it is separated from the surface of the water, its noise characteristics are small, not easy for submarines to find, and the submarine's ability to effectively attack it is very limited, and thus less threatened by it. Hovercraft with relatively large tonnage can also be used as a fast-moving fire support platform to implement fire support.
Right: A British Griffin 1050TD military hovercraft transports Marines.
Other military uses
The hovercraft's fast sailing speed makes it a good way to transport logistical supplies such as materials on specific occasions (e.g., when they are far away from port terminals). In addition there are also greater advantages in the search and rescue of the injured at sea. On the one hand, the search and rescue speed is fast, can effectively search a larger range of sea area in a shorter period of time, on the other hand, it is convenient to rescue, can be directly parked on the sea surface, easier than the helicopter hovering work, and by the environment is much less disturbed, can be adapted to the higher sea conditions. In addition, the hovercraft can also be used as a platform tool for rapid mine laying, which has many unique advantages over conventional ships.
The right photo shows the U.S.-craft HG1000 military hovercraft carrying out munitions supply missions.
China has not given up on the hovercraft research work, especially on the military use of large hovercraft research has not stopped for a moment. It is believed that a large domestic hovercraft will be successfully developed and publicly unveiled in the near future.
Right: British Griffin 8100TD military hovercraft patrols offshore. Rescue services around the world believe that: hovercraft can quickly fly through water, thin or broken ice, flooding and snow, to perform fast and safe search and rescue operations, such as swamps or beaches and other special environments, is the only high-speed, effective rescue work platform. Because the hovercraft can safely fly or land on terrain suspended below 2/3 of the cushion's lifting skirt, it enables these rescuers to travel to areas that are inaccessible by conventional rescue boats or vehicles.
The picture on the right shows the U.S. "Modern" 3626 hovercraft on a rescue mission.
When the geography around airfields near the coast or in swamps is complex, hovercraft are often the only platforms capable of providing rescue services in these areas. These unique high-speed boats are fully equipped with firefighting and lifesaving equipment and can be deployed in almost any emergency. Airports where the rescue hovercraft have been used include: Singapore International Airport, Auckland International Airport, Dundee Airport (UK), Shannon Airport (Ireland). The picture on the right shows the Griffin 2400TD rescue hovercraft on standby at Dundee Airport in the UK.
In some of the most remote and inaccessible corners of the world, a hovercraft can be the only solution to getting medical clinics and supplies. Hovercraft can provide clean, safe and spacious cubicles that can be set up with the latest medical equipment to meet treatment requirements, creating the ideal mobile medical clinic. The United Nations World Food Program, working in Sudan, uses hovercraft for refugee relief operations on frozen lakes and mudflats. The World Red Cross uses U.S. Craft hovercraft to help in disaster areas and highland rescues.
In rescue situations, time is of the essence. "The Craft rescue hovercraft HG1000 is trailer loaded, loads and unloads the trailer in less than 30 seconds and is easily towed by a standard vehicle, is easy to use, rapidly deployable, and can be quickly flown or landed to reach flooded and muddy, icy, and cold rescue areas without the need and expense of costly transportation. The HG1000 hovercraft takes enough power drive to reach rescue speeds of up to 7 kilometers per hour, and can be equipped with additional rescue features such as search lights, dangling points, GPS and radios.
The picture on the right shows the British Griffin 8000TD hovercraft performing a rescue medical mission.
The importance of rescue hovercraft on ice is that they can fly over thick or thin ice scum, rescue a drowning person within minutes, and then return safely.
But the prominence of hovercraft working in flood situations is less well known. When a flood breaks out and rivers breach dams and residential areas, it would be nearly impossible to travel by boat along underwater obstacles such as flooded streets, fences, fallen trees, submerged walls and vehicles, which would damage the boat's propellers. Hovercraft, on the other hand, are completely unaffected by underwater obstacles and are capable of zipping through any depth of water.
While large boats cannot enforce the law along the coastline due to shallow water, hovercraft can be used year-round. What's more is that when law enforcement officers are checking for illegal immigrants and smuggling, hovercrafts can be used to chase from water to beach, along muddy or sandy shorelines and beach areas.
The photo on the right shows a British "Griffin" rescue hovercraft conducting a rescue operation on the beach. Imagine having your own recreational hovercraft for fun vacations!
Hovercrafts are unlike any other personal watercraft, off-road bikes, jet boats, or personal ships in that they offer a lot more fun. Not only that, but hovercrafts are also easy to use and offer unrivaled excitement that any thrill-seeker could not ask for!
Hovercrafts offer the freedom of the unknown, and after trying out a personal off-road bike or 4x4 vehicle, hovercrafts are the most versatile and unique vessels that can fly or land on many surfaces in complex terrain. A new era has dawned and it is now the era of hovercraft recreation! Owning a hovercraft means you can have an unparalleled amount of fun. Fast flowing rapids, shallow rivers, estuaries, marshes, and sandy islands are no longer obstacles on your travels, but new areas to discover, explore, and have fun! You don't have to own a boat, kayak, rowboat, jet boat, motorboat, or snowmobile, all you need is a hovercraft - all-in-one all-season recreational vessel. Hovercrafts allow you to travel to places you've always wanted to know about, but could never get before. The versatility of a hovercraft is incredible and gives endless new personal opportunities and range of activities. Freedom! Imagine going where you want to go - beaches, concrete, deserts, oceans, coral reefs, rivers, lakes, even snow or ice! Go for flight landings, go for rodeos, wilderness fishing, wetland photography, adventure hunting and more. Hovercraft that allows you to do it all.
One of the most amazing features of a hovercraft is that it performs exactly the same from this surface to that surface - imagine your own personal hovercraft flying straight out of the water at full speed onto a beach, and then back into the water! Remember, you'll attract an audience and can make all the speedboat, motorboat and other boat owners look envious!
Use your hovercraft's imagination and go where no one else can go, if possible! Don't forget that hovercrafts don't require time spent looking for and paying to use a slip or dock.
Hovercrafts open up a whole new world - a personal choice, made to be ideal for all the family. Hovercrafts are adaptable enough to suit everyone's ideas. You can use a hovercraft for: leisurely cruising, gliding over ice and water with ease, speedy fun, exploring new places, winter recreation, or taking your friends and family on a tour.
The four pictures to the right show "recent" American hovercraft used for recreational travel. Hovercraft are used in a wide range of commercial applications, providing you with demand-responsive and flexible solutions. The main application areas are:
- Patrol duty - Oil exploration - Icebreaker - Forestry management - Island weather - Commercial fishing
- Environmental protection - Wildlife protection - Survey work - Gold mining - Biological research - Oil cleanup
- Customs anti-smuggling - Agricultural spraying - Flood relief - Ice transportation - Hydrographic survey - Wetland protection
- Coastal research - Fisheries duty - Forestry duty - Wind power inspection - Scientific archaeology and more -
Commercial hovercraft will help you fly or land on terrain that is inaccessible to off-road vehicles or boats:
- Sandy beaches - Swamps - Wetlands - Snow - Fast-flowing currents - Mud flats - Tarmac - Ice
- Mud flats - Grasslands - Deserts - Driftwood - Roads - Water
The American "hovercraft", pictured on the right, has been used for a variety of purposes including: - Mining and fishing - Fishing - Forestry - Wind power testing - Scientific archaeology and more. p>The photo on the right shows the US Craft HG700 hovercraft carrying out survey work.