Feature 1 | ADVANCED HULLFORMS
L-Cat design brings variable
geometry ashore
The French Navy is starting an evaluation of a novel variable-draft landing
craft, known as the L-Cat, to assess its suitability as a potential future
expeditionary watercraft.
F
rench engineering group
Constructions Industrielles de
la Meditérranee (CNIM) has
funded the construction of the full-scale
L-Cat demonstrator, built by the Gemelin
shipyard in La Rochelle on France’s
Atlantic coast.
The roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) design is
intended to meet emergent operational
requirements for a fast ‘ship-to-shore
connector,’ combining the attributes of
both a deep-draft vessel and a landing
craft to offer high speed, excellent
manoeuvrability and increased payload.
According to Francis Lucas, project
director for CNIM’s Defence Systems
Division, the objective of a watercraft
connector “is to put the maximum
payload ashore in the shortest period of The roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) L-Cat is intended to meet emerging operational requirements
time. Landing craft should stay ashore for for a fast ‘ship-to-shore connector,’ combining the attributes of a deep-draft vessel and a
the least possible time, and must so unload landing craft.
quickly. But they should also be capable of
carrying a useful payload”.
“That demands a [watercraft] system rugged, able to beach in comfort, carry combining the attributes of a deep-sea
that can perform numerous and rapid a significant payload, and offer a rapid vessel and a landing craft, offering high
shuttles, even in Sea State 4. Furthermore, loading/unloading capability. “Our speed and excellent manoeuvrability
it must be capable of rapid and simple solution, L-Cat, is a variable-draft vessel and a significantly increased payload,”
re-loading within the host amphibious says Lucas.
ship,” says Lucas. “The L-Cat concept achieves this by
However, as he also points out, large
TeChniCaL parTiCuLars
offering the flexibility to raise or lower a
amphibious units find themselves
L-Cat Specifications
pontoon deck so as to enable operation in
vulnerable to a range of shore-based any one of three modes. In transit, the L-Cat
Length ................................................30.00m
threats when deployed near to the
Beam ..................................................12.80m
is a catamaran [the pontoon deck is raised
coast. “Consequently, the mother ship
Draught (full load) ..............................2.50m
between the two hulls]. In beaching mode
must be kept away from this threat in
Draught (landing) .................... 0.60m (fore)
1.20m (aft)
the pontoon is lowered and in dock mode
the amphibious operation area. In turn, Displacement ...............................300tonnes the platform is totally or partially flooded.”
this reinforces the need for the ‘shuttles’
speed empty ........................................30kts
Fully loaded ...........................................20kts
Lucas argues that while the L-Cat concept
between ship and shore [to be] as quick Landing mode ......................................10kts is itself innovative, the underpinning
and safe as possible and demands good
range (@ 15kts) ..............................1000 nm
technologies are all low risk. For example,
platform length .................................23.00m
speed and manoeuvrability for the
Beam ....................................................6.90m
the hull adopts standard naval architecture
landing craft.”
Loading mode ...................................... ro-ro
ratios and aluminium alloy structures, the
Max vehicle height .............................4.25m
These multiple factors have led CNIM
Max height dock ................................6.10m
propulsion system uses standard diesel
to characterise the ‘perfect’ landing
Truck lane ..............................................46 m
engines and waterjets, and the hydraulic
Max cargo weight .......................110tonnes
craft as fast, seaworthy, manoeuvrable, lifting rams (supplied by Rexroth) are
12 Warship Technology January 2009
WT_Jan09_p12+13+14.indd 12 12/23/08 2:21:29 AM
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