Investigating the potential of hydrofoils for high-speed daughter craft in amphibious operations

This study explores the use of submerged hydrofoil systems for landing craft, with the goal of evaluating their operational effectiveness. Using a systems engineering approach, various submerged hydrofoil configurations and propulsion systems are evaluated. A design method is developed which uses iterative parametric modelling and assessment of craft’s dynamic equilibrium across its full speed range. The resulting designs are then compared to a planing benchmark vessel. The findings show a resistance reduction of 35% at cruise speeds, leading to a 50% increase in range. Seakeeping analysis of a submerged hydrofoil configuration also demonstrates that hydrofoils can increase the sustained speed in waves and effectively reduce peak vertical accelerations. The results highlight that significant gains can be made with respect to range, sustained speed and safety, which exemplifies the potential of hydrofoil system integration despite added design complexity.