US Navy Power Augmented Ram Landing Craft (PARLC)

[Triton]

The Power Augmented Ram Landing Craft (PARLC) was a landing craft concept combining surface effect ship and power-augmented-ram technology into one vehicle. First proposed in FY 1979 at the David L Taylor Ship Research and Development Center, the landing craft was projected to carry 120 tons of military cargo at speeds of around 180 km/h (97 knots or 112 m/h) with a range of 100 nm. It was to be powered by a single General Electric CF6 jet engine.

Artist's conception of PARLC offloading LVTP7 amphibious assault vehicles onto a beach.

 

[Nik]

Was that a second ramp beside the 'bridge' and beneath the 'jet pod' ? Would it have been deployed 'upwards' to help trap jet-thrust to get the whatsit onto the plane ??

Concept seems 2nd-cousin to Florida Swamp 'airboat' out of Ekranoplan...

 

[Triton]

Test craft built at David L Taylor Ship Research and Development Center in 1980. It was powered by two front mounted MicroTurbo engines of 900N each that provide PAR thrust at all times.

 

[Triton]

Was that a second ramp beside the 'bridge' and beneath the 'jet pod' ? Would it have been deployed 'upwards' to help trap jet-thrust to get the whatsit onto the plane ??

Concept seems 2nd-cousin to Florida Swamp 'airboat' out of Ekranoplan...

I presume that it is ramp at the bow in the artist's impression. Unfortunately, I don't know the technical details of the PARLC design. There is a technical paper concerning PARLC that can be ordered from the National Technical Information Service:

The Power-Augmented-Ram Landing Craft Concept by Fred H Krause, David L Taylor Ship Research and Development Center
http://www.dtic.mil/srch/doc?collection=t3&id=ADA085870

 

[Triton]

From DefenseImagery.mil:

An artist's concept of a power-augmented ram landing craft (PARLAC) exiting the docking well of a dock landing ship. The port engine of the PARLAC is elevated to provide cushion lift, resulting in increased speed and shore-landing capability. The craft is presently in the testing stages of research and development.

http://www.defenseimagery.mil/imagery.html#a=search&s=Artist's%20concept&p=18&guid=517a903d12022d19a4b6f7497f2bb3f49d5c34d1

DefenseImagery.mil refers to the concept as PARLAC instead of PARLC.

 

[Stargazer]

Test craft built at David L Taylor Ship Research and Development Center in 1980. It was powered by two front mounted MicroTurbo engines of 900N each that provide PAR thrust at all times.

The PARLC involved Burt Rutan and was built by Ames Industrial.

For more information, check my page on the subject:

http://stargazer2006.online.fr/menu.htm
> then click on "Other Programs" > Boats > PARLC