When U.S. Marine Corps steps outside of the box, things tend to get interesting, and indeed they have.
During RIMPAC 2014, a biannual joint military exercise that brings together literally dozens of countries, the Corps unveiled a 1/2 scale concept version of their Ultra Heavy-Lift Amphibious Connector (UHAC). Built in Hawaii, this sort of old school, Star Wars-ish, amphibious tank can go places that their LCACs (hovercrafts) simply can’t, while carrying enormous loads. Instead of steel tracks, it uses a flexible foam-like material which actually helps roll over “unprepared” beachheads and even 10-foot high seawalls. It can travel at 4 knots through the water.
The full-scale version of this beast is designed to carry three main battle tanks, or in this case, one High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee).
This concept model was designed and built in concert with Honolulu-based R&D firm Navatek, a subsidiary of Pacific Marine.
Here’s some B Roll footage of this thing in action:
Stern view:
The USMC’s amphibious transporter has got nothing on the Canadian Coast Guard’s Arktos however…