Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit

A boat that can transform into a submarine is not new. So is a boat/sub hybrid designed to insert operatives in a covert operation, such as the JFD SEAL Carrier Swimmer Delivery Vehicle.

Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit

The Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit is another SEAL Delivery Vehicle and from what we gathered, it is a more advanced proposition with 250 nautical miles (463 km or 288 miles) range and surface speed of up to 40 knots (46 mph or 74 km/h).

The watercraft measures 11.95 meters (39 feet) and can accommodate up to six divers, along with a pilot and a navigator. The hull is made of carbon fiber with a Diab foam core to achieve good strength-to-weight ratio. The vessel is powered by a customized 725 HP Seatek 725+ Diesel engine which powers a set of Konsberg Kamewa water jets.

Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit

Like JFD’s SEAL CSDV, it is “wet sub”. Meaning, it does not have a proper ballast system. To achieve negative buoyancy, i.e. to dive, the entire cabin will be flooded with water and therefore, everyone onboard has to be in diving gear.

There is an open circuit air system onboard to supply oxygen to individuals, thus divers will not need deplete the air supply from their tanks needed for the actual operations. The air supply is enough to keep eight people breathing for four hours.

Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit

When under water, it can descend down to 30 meters (100 feet) deep, moves through the under water at up to 8 knots (15 km/h or 9 mph) and for a range of 25 nautical miles (56 km or 35 miles). A fly-by-wire steering technology affords the same set of controls for both surface and underwater piloting.

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Sea trails of the latest prototype are expected to be carried out in January. For those who haven’t noticed, the VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit is a military hardware. So, no, you probably can’t buy it for your leisure use. Also, I can’t imagine why anyone other than the military need a VICTA.

Subsea Craft VICTA Class Diver Delivery Unit

Images: Subsea Craft.

Source: New Atlas.