Zhongbang Intelligent Technology (ZB Intelligence), a Qingdao-based company specialising in the development of control and navigation systems for unmanned surface vessels (USVs), announced a new amphibious combat USV development called the Marine Lizard at the Airshow China 2018 exhibition in Zhuhai, held from 6–11 November.
The Marine Lizard is primarily designed to be an autonomous and rapidly deployable mobile weapons platform that aids a defending force in repelling coastal and beach assaults, although it can also perform ship-to-shore troop transport and logistical resupply missions if required.
The prototype Marine Lizard adopts a 13.5 m trimaran hullform and is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system that supplies power to the four electrically powered track units installed under each corner of the hull bottom, which enable it to achieve a maximum speed of 20 km/h depending on the terrain.