Futuristic U.S. Navy stealth attack boat was spotted during sea trials off the coast of Virginia Beach.
A continues of development test of the newest stealth attack boat, commonly known as M80 Stiletto, was seemingly confirmed when one was spotted making its way off the coast of Virginia on July 8.
Maritime specialist with nicknamed WarshipCam tweeted images of Pentagon’s stealthy little experimental ship.
The unique craft, ultra-fast and it can go places other vessels can’t. The M80 is produced by American marine engineering contractor, the M Ship Company, as an experimental testbed ship for The Pentagon’s Office of Force Transformation. It is notable for its innovative Pentamaran hull design and advanced carbon fiber composite construction.
According to military.com, the Stiletto was developed for high-speed military missions in the shallow water areas of littoral, and near-shore waters in support of the Navy’s office of force transformation. No other hull compares to its speed, ride quality, payload capability and unmanned vehicle support.
The Stiletto is the largest vessel ever built for the U.S. government of advanced composite material (carbon fiber) for reduced weight and increased stiffness.
At full speed, the 88-foot Stiletto at 70 miles per hour, or 60 knots and can travel about 500 miles on one tank of gas.
The M80 Stiletto provides a stable platform for weapon launching at any speed, based on air lift in outboard planning tunnels. It is also capable of a high-speed tight flat 360° turn with less than 10% loss of vessel speed.