Real-life 'Bond boat' that can convert into a submersible 'in minutes' and steer itself along the sea floor using sonar is set to hit the water in 2021

Real-life 'Bond boat' that can convert into a submersible 'in minutes' and steer itself along the sea floor using sonar is set to hit the water in 2021
Photos show construction of the VICTA vessel made by a Hampshire-based company nearing completion
VICTA can steer along the sea floor using obstacle avoidance sonar technology – the use of sound waves

Vessel is reminiscent of James Bond’s sea-diving Lotus Esprit in the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me

From DailyMail by Jonathan Chadwick

A UK company has nearly completed construction on the world’s 'most technically advanced surface-submersible', capable of operating both on and under the water.

Being hailed as something out of a James Bond film, photographs have been released of the construction of the VICTA craft by its developers, Hampshire-based company SubSea Craft.

VICTA, which is being built following a £12 million investment, is set to be sold across the world for primarily defence-orientated missions and 'advanced sub-aqua tourism', from 2021.

The craft, which has echoes of James Bond’s sea-diving Lotus Esprit in the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, is controlled by a two-man crew and can carry an additional six commandos.

Diesel engines power VICTA on the water's surface, achieving speeds of up to 40 knots over a range of 250 nautical miles, while lithium ion batteries power operations beneath the water's surface.

Once submerged, VICTA also uses obstacle avoidance sonar technology – the use of sound waves – to prevent it from colliding with anything underwater.

The sonar system is capable of building a 3D impression of the sea floor to help its operators guide and navigate the vessel.

The world’s most technically advanced surface-submersible, made in Britain and set to be sold across the globe, is to hit the water in 2021.

New images of the VICTA craft, designed for the defence market, have been released this week

 
Boat capable of diving is unveiled by British firm SubSea Craft

SubSea Craft says: 'Throughout history, commanders have dreamed of a craft able to travel on the surface before diving to approach a target unseen. That dream is now a reality.'

Funded by a private investor, VICTA has been designed for the defence market, with special forces in mind including the Royal Navy.

Images show the craft's lower hull being bonded to the upper skin this week as the build enters its final stage.

'Now that the dynamic shape and form of VICTA has been established, we can get to the truly exciting stages of the build,' said Scott Verney, SubSea Craft CEO.

Made by SubSea Craft in Hampshire, the vessel can be carried by helicopter and lowered into the sea. It can reach 40 knots while on the water's surface and becomes a submarine with a top speed of 8 knots. Engines power the water jets on the surface and batteries power the thrusters when underwater

VICTA’s form begins to emerge as the hull is bonded to the coachroof, giving shape to the whole craft in new photos released on Monday

Until now, construction has been focused on the fit out of the craft, installing an array of vital components including its powerful batteries.
However, this 'shifted dramatically' in the last few days, SubSea Craft said

 

The craft is made of carbon fibre with a Diab core.

A lightweight construction many times stronger than fibreglass, VICTA will be faster and more manoeuvrable than comparable craft

VICTA’s diesel engine powers the craft on the surface through an efficient water jet achieving speeds of up to 40 knots over a range of 250 nautical miles

'Integration of the full technical suite and control systems for the craft will be a game-changing moment.

'In an uncertain world, nations seek an advantage which VICTA can provide.

'We are on track for trials and testing this coming winter, with the aim of having the craft operational late 2021.'

The design allows VICTA to be dropped into the sea from a military aircraft or be released from the hull of a Royal Navy sub, before it powers along on the surface of the water.

VICTA includes a number of technological firsts, according to the company, including its engine, which has has been fully 'sub-marinised' in order to allow it to withstand complete immersion in salt water.

The craft has echoes of James Bond’s sea-diving Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, above, also known as Wet Nellie (pictured)

This is necessary as, unlike a traditional submarine where the interior stays pressurised and water free, the crew and the vessel's contents are immersed in water when the vessel dives.

All of the eight crew on-board wear diving gear because the cockpit floods as the vessel plunges.

VICTA combines characteristics of a fast-moving surface craft with those of a specialist submersible to deliver divers 'discreetly'.

A 'rapid transition' between the two modes, which can happen in just a couple of minutes, is enabled by a fly-by-wire control system – a semi-automatic, computer-regulated aircraft system with an electronic interface.

Capable of operating both on and under the water, VICTA combines the characteristics of a fast surface craft with those of a specialist submersible

Fly-by-wire delivers 'dynamic stability in all conditions' and lets the crew better focus on their mission.

It provides the ‘brain’ to facilitate the vessel's passage at speed and is dynamically controlled to minimise the pilot’s intervention.

Meanwhile, lithium ion batteries enclosed in fully watertight chambers generate sufficient energy to power the craft's thrusters when underwater for up to four hours – sufficient to cover 25 nautical miles on a single charge.

Once the craft is submerged, the crew have the option of exiting through the doors and swimming in the surrounding waters, before getting back on board and powering the craft back towards the surface.

The vessel, which is made of carbon fibre, is both lightweight and 'many times stronger than fibreglass' while being faster and more manoeuvrable than comparable craft.

Once complete, acrylic windows, hatches, hinges and life-support system will be installed ahead of comprehensive trials and testing.

Brigadier Tim Chicken, a former Royal Marine commander in Afghanistan who now works for SubSea Craft previously said: ‘Our design is truly cutting edge.

'VICTA opens up potentially game changing tactical and strategic choices in maritime, joint and special operations.’

Bird's eye view of VICTA. Dropped from a helicopter, the sleek carbon-fibre speedboat races along the water at 40 knots before turning into a submarine

VICTA is controlled by a two-man crew and can carry an additional six commandos at the back, all equipped with breathing apparatus

Rapid transition between the two modes is enabled by a fly-by-wire control system, which delivers dynamic stability in all conditions, controlled by the two operators at the front

Obstacle avoidance sonar will act as VICTA’s eyes underwater. 

This is capable of building a 3D impression of the sea floor out down to 330 feet, to help guide and navigate the vessel

Once complete, acrylic windows, hatches, hinges and life-support system will be installed ahead of comprehensive trials and testing

More photos from construction. SubSea Craft calls itself a privately-funded SME (small to medium enterprise) delivering advanced maritime technology

VICTA is a 'unique and innovative' British product focused primarily on the defence market but with utility beyond, according to SubSea Craft

SubSea Craft says: 'Throughout history, commanders have dreamed of a craft able to travel on the surface before diving to approach a target unseen. That dream is now a reality'

 

A sub-marinised diesel engine powers VICTA on the surface through a highly efficient water jet. Sub-marinised means the engine can withstand complete immersion in salt water

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On August 25th, 1875 Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim across the English Channel : here is a map of his route

On August 25th, 1875 Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim across the English Channel.

Here is a map of his route.
The tide carries him northward, then turns and brings him south again.

 

  From History

On August 24, 1875, Captain Matthew Webb of Great Britain becomes the first man to successfully swim the English Channel without assistance.

After the feat, Webb became an international celebrity, admired for both his prowess in the water and his penchant for risk-taking.

Born in Shropshire, England on January 19, 1848, Webb taught himself to swim in the River Severn at Coalbrookdale.

At just 12 years old, he enlisted as a merchant seaman, and eventually was named captain of the steamship Emerald.

Webb had a well-deserved reputation for recklessness, and often had trouble convincing sailors to remain in his employ.

In August 1872, he became a hero in England when, while traveling on a ship, he dove into the Atlantic to rescue a fellow passenger who fell overboard.

Although the man drowned, Webb emerged unscathed 35 minutes later and was rewarded with medals of bravery for his efforts.

He then embarked on a career as a professional distance swimmer, taking huge risks in order to add to his fame and fortune.

 

1843 Blachford Blueback Nautical Chart Map of the English Channel

After hearing of a failed attempt to swim the English Channel by British swimmer J.B. Johnson in 1873, Webb set his sights on becoming the first man to swim the treacherous body of water without assistance.

He made his first attempt on August 12, 1875, but was stymied by high winds and bad conditions.

Unfazed, he tried again less than two weeks later.

After covering himself with porpoise oil to keep warm, Webb, trailed by a flotilla of three boats, entered the water near Dover’s Admiralty Pier.

 

Admiralty nautical chart of the south coast of England from Dungeness to the Thames including Dover Strait.

Surveyed by Captain Frederick Bullock.

The coast of France from the Pilote Francaise including the Varne & Ridge 1848.

source

 

Though he was stung by a jellyfish eight hours into his attempt, he persevered after being soothed by a nip of brandy.

He swam into the out-rushing tide toward Cape Gris-Nez, which is now often used as the starting point for Channel swims.

Finally, after 21 hours and 45 minutes of swimming against the tide—the equivalent of 39 miles–he waded onto the beach at Calais at 10:40 a.m., the morning after he began his swim, exhausted.

His achievement was celebrated all over the world.

On July 24, 1883, Webb attempted his final stunt: a swim across the Niagara River, downriver from Niagara Falls.

Many warned him the stunt was suicide, and, unfortunately for Webb, they were right.

Webb drowned in the whirlpool approximately 10 minutes after entering the water.

His body was found four days later. 

 

Links :

•  Colm Breathnach's swimming blog : the English Channel
• BBC : Sarah Thomas: Woman first to swim Channel four times non-stop
• TrainDaly : Coaching a swim across the English Channel 

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Image of the week : In a year's worth of photos, the Sentinel-1 satellites materialise the Channel maritime motorway

 From Ciel&espace

Seen by satellite radar, ships transiting between France and England draw a double line that evokes the Brexit, in force for the new year.

 

 

On 31 December 2020 at midnight (23:00 GMT), the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

An image taken by the two satellites Sentinel-1A and 1B, of the European Copernicus programme, seems to symbolise the event: it is the accumulation of radar images taken throughout 2020 over the Channel.

 

Able to see through the clouds, the Sentinel-1 radar allows all the ships in permanent transit between France and England to be seen.

 

 

Adding up the photos gives an astonishing materialisation of this maritime route, one of the busiest in the world...

And symbolically, this route evokes the separation between Great Britain and the Continent, which was actuated by the Brexit, and which becomes a reality from the first second of 2021.

The Channel maritime motorway has two lanes to avoid collisions between the many ships using it.
The North Sea is studded with pre-polar installations and wind farms. Credit: ESA.

Already in 2019, the European Space Agency had published a similar image that accumulated photos taken over three years, between 2016 and 2018.

The English Channel in 2020, as seen by @CopernicusEU's Sentinel-1 imaging radar. This maximum reflectivity composite shows the year in shipping lanes, offshore wind farms, &c. pic.twitter.com/9WjxEkDcB1

— Tim Wallace (@wallacetim) December 31, 2020

In the 2020 image, which was broadcast on 31 December on Twitter by journalist Tim Wallace of the New York Times, in addition to the cargo ships transiting the English Channel, the ferries sailing between Calais and Dover were also shown, as well as the wind farms installed at sea, which drew geometric patterns.

A zoom on the Belwind wind farm off the coast of the Netherlands reveals the 110 wind turbines installed at sea between 2010 and 2017.

Credit: ESA.