Athens-based commercial and military rigid inflatable boat (RIB) manufacturer Barracuda has showcased its indigenously developed Barracuda 747 Multi-Mission (747MM) unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in public for the first time at the DEFEA 2021 exhibition in mid-July.
The 747MM, developed using internal funding, features a specially designed glass reinforced plastic hull joined to side-forming air-tubes with six air chambers. The hull measures 7.65 m long, 2.9 m wide, and has a draft of 0.52 m.
Barracuda 747 Multi-Mission USV shown at DEFEA 2021. (Dimitrios Mitsopoulos)
The USV is powered by two 225 hp Mercury engines that enable cruise and sprint speeds of 29 kt and 55 kt respectively. The sea vehicle is designed to operate out to a maximum range of up to 500 n miles in sea state 4, although range is also dependant on load.
According to Barracuda, the USV can be optionally manned by two personnel and is equipped with two shock-absorbing seats within its low-profile cabin. It can also carry up to 14 people and can be used to support special forces or search-and-rescue (SAR) operations.
The seaframe also features an anti-explosion, detachable epoxy fuel tank with non-positive displacement fuel system, a self-draining anchor compartment, bilge bump, and deck. Internal spaces positioned at each side of the hull walls can be used to house a wide range of mission equipment
The company has placed an emphasis on survivability, with the USV able to maintain operation with fully deflated air chambers in conditions of up to sea state 6. Barracuda also claims that the vehicle's low centre of gravity and its hull design enable it to survive in extreme conditions of up to sea state 9.
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