OF THE LOTS SITE/SEA STATE INTERFACE)

THE ARMY LOGISTICS OVER THE SHORE (LOTS) MISSION IS TO LOGISTICALLY SUPPORT MILITARY OPERATIONS ASHORE, BY SEABORNE MEANS. THE LATTER WILL INCLUDE THE USE OF SITES ESTABLISHED AS CLOSE TO AREAS OF MILITARY OPERATIONS AS PRACTICABLE, WHEREIN OCEAN GOING SHIPS WILL BE OFFLOADED INTO AIR CUSHION VEHICLES, LANDING CRAFT, AND LIGHTERS FOR CONVEYANCE OF CARGOES TO CAUSEWAYS AND, OR DIRECTLY TO THE SHORE. SITES WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE EFFECTS OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH COULD INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT SEA STATE CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN HEAVY WAVE ACTION AND SURF ZONES IN THE SITES. SUCH CONDITIONS COULD IMPAIR PERFORMING THE MISSION, BECAUSE OF APPRECIABLE RELATIVE MOTIONS AT THE SHIP/LIGHTER INTERFACE, AND HAZARDOUS TRANSIT CONDITIONS FOR NON AIR CUSHION LANDING CRAFT AND LIGHTERS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARTIFICIAL MEANS FOR PROTECTING THE SITES AND THEREBY STABILIZING THE LOTS SITE SEA STATE INTERFACE. IT IS CONSIDERED THAT UNLESS THE LATTER INTERFACE IS STABILIZED, OR REDUCED IN MAGNITUDE, RELATIVE MOTIONS AT THE SHIP/LIGHTER INTERFACE COULD BE EXCESSIVE, AND THE OPERATION OF LANDING CRAFT AND LIGHTERS WILL BE EITHER DANGEROUS OR IMPRACTICAL IN HIGHER SEA STATES. THE EFFORT PROPOSED INCLUDES ANALYSES, DESIGN, MODEL, AND HALF/FULL SCALE TESTS.