Low Cost, High Impact, Light Weight ACV Cargo Deck Covering System

The Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) amphibious craft is an essential component of Sea Power 21. LCAC and its larger future replacement, Joint Maritime Assault Connector (JMAC), serve as high speed transports for weapons, equipment, cargo and personnel from ship to shore and inland across the beach. Because of the nature of the LCAC/JMAC propulsion and suspension systems, materials carried in the open cargo compartment are currently exposed to a severe salt water spray and sand environment. KaZaK is proposing to develop a simple, adaptable, low cost protective covering system for the cargo bay of these vehicles. Several cargo handling and securing technologies developed by KaZaK during previous SBIR activities will be modified as necessary and combined with other commercially available components to create an optimized, light weight cover system featuring rapid deployability over all or part of the cargo compartment, compact stowage, long fatigue life and impact resistance meeting wind, acceleration and debris requirements. KaZaK will work to minimize fabrication and assembly costs for shipyards, and reduce Navy maintenance costs. KaZaK’s Phase I endeavors will develop proposed innovations through analysis and prototype hardware testing, while design refinement and full scale testing, including sea trials, are expected during Phase II.