Incredible stealth speedboat that transforms into submarine to ferry commandos into battle spotted off UK coast
AN INCREDIBLE stealth speed boat that transforms into a submarine and ferry commandos into battle was spotted off the UK coast.
The Subsea Craft VICTA was pictured doing trials in Portsmouth Harbour.
Photos of the stealth boast were posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The revolutionary speedboat, unveiled in 2019, was designed specifically for stealth missions and is used to ferry British commandos.
It can carry eight personnel, reach speeds up to 40 knots, and has an impressive range of 297 miles or 250 nautical miles.
The VICTA prides itself on its rapid transition between surfacing and sub-surfacing.
It is extremely manoeuvrable and has similar characteristics to a high-tech speed boat when above the water.
The stealth vessel relies on its special submersible abilities which are enabled by a fly-by-wire control system.
It is also highly adaptable and able to be deployed from various platforms, including road trailers and aircraft.
Onboard the VICTA is a sophisticated digital platform that can process data from numerous systems and sensors throughout the vessel.
It comes after a Royal Navy nuclear-armed submarine smashed the record for the longest voyage after spending 201 days at sea.
A NEW RECORD
HMS Vengeance set sail on August 29 and didn’t return until Sunday – six months and 18 days later.
The hero crew of submariners never set foot on land and spent most of that time submerged on a top-secret nuclear patrol.
A Navy source told The Sun: “We ask a hell of a lot of our submarine crews.
“There is always a nuclear sub on patrol keeping this country safe, but most people don’t even know.”
The crew beat the previous record of 195 days which was set by HMS Vigilant last year.
During that time the 149 crew members had almost no contact with their loved ones.
They cannot transmit any messages for fear of revealing the subs’ position.
And are only allowed to receive one 40-word message a week, known as a family-gram.
Any bad news about loved ones is censored by the Navy as it is impossible to get the submariners home without jeopardising the patrol.
Most of the time the submarines move slower than walking pace to stay silent.
The back-to-back record-breaking patrols are due to a shortage of working submarines.
The Navy has four doomsday submarines, but one HMS Victorious is in dock at Devonport awaiting major repairs.
HMS Vanguard was sent to America to test fire a Trident 2 missile that failed.
The remaining subs HMS Vengeance and Vigilant have been forced to spend ever longer at sea to maintain the continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, the cornerstone of Britain’s defence.
They are armed with Trident 2 doomsday missiles to blast Britain’s enemies into oblivion in the event of a nuclear strike.
When the Navy launched Operation Relentless in 1969 patrols were less than three months long.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “Our continuous at-sea deterrent protects us and our Nato allies every moment of every day.
“We are immensely grateful to the submariners on board, and their loved ones, for their commitment and dedication.
“While we do not comment on patrol lengths, we take safety very seriously and all submarines go through rigorous safety checks before any patrol.”
VICTA'S STATS
- Speeds over 34mph
- A range of 250 nautical miles
- The 2-minute transition between surface and sub-surface
- Deployable from an array of platforms
- Digital capabilities allow it to exploit data across countless systems
- 39 ft long vessel
- Can race along the surface at up to 40 knots
- Carries two crew and up to six heavily armed frogmen
- The boat can dive to 98ft