HSV-X1 Joint Venture

HSV-X1 "Joint Venture" is a high speed catamaran passenger/car ferry owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, with a new name to be selected [ [http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/Important+Information+(News)/Latest+News+19.05.08.htm Latest News 19.05.08 - Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ferry Services ] ] . Initially operated by the United States Navy it has since been transferred to the United States Army. This ship has served a deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom, spending time around the Horn of Africa. [http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/jul2003/a072203a.html]

As "Joint Venture"

Built by Incat of Tasmania, Australia, she was a commercial ferry for TT-Line as the "Devil Cat" before being converted for military purpose. A flight deck was added to accommodate various helicopters in the US Navy arsenal.

"Joint Venture" is rapidly re-configurable and can perform a variety of missions, principal among them the ability to ferry up to 325 combat personnel and 400 tons of cargo up to 3000 miles one way at speeds in excess of 40 knots.

"Joint Venture" was handed back to Incat in Hobart Tasmania in early 2008. She has under gone a refit and painting in the Express Ferries livery and was planned to enter service with them as a car and passenger ferry, but this never materialised.

Isle of Man

On May 19, 2008, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company announced the purchase of the vessel for £20 million, and is planned to replace the existing fastcraft HSC "Viking". The 96 metre wave piercing catamaran will be the largest vessel of its kind in the Irish Sea. Because of its most recent use, the Steam Packet Company says it has significantly fewer hours of service than a vessel of comparable age and will be ideally suited for the substantial refit proposed.

The "Incat 050" will receive a significantly new profile in a major refit on the south coast of England and should enter service around the summer 2009.

Related developments

* HMAS "Jervis Bay" (Royal Australian Navy)
* HSV-2 "Swift"

References

* [http://www.jfcom.mil/about/experiments/mc02/concepts/hsv.htm JFCOM Site]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/46532.htm navsource.org: IX-532 "Joint Venture" (HSV-X1)]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrservicecraft/details/IX532.htm US Naval Register: IX-532]

External links