All right, it is time for a shootout. Between the DARPA Captive Air Amphibious Transporter that you see in action in the video above compared to the DeLorean hovercraft, which would you rather have? The former would have all the relevant equipment and functionality that are required for hardcore military use, while the latter is an iconic figure from the world of science fiction, and most probably would be able to pull more fans – at least those who do not come from a practical point of view. Well, the DARPA Captive Air Amphibious Transporter is part of the fruits from DARPA’s effort in developing technologies to deliver assistance during natural or “man-made” disasters, where it is part of the TEMP plan (Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform).
Dubbed Captive Air Amphibious Transporters, or CAAT for short, this particularly rugged vehicle is capable of skimming across bodies of water thanks to its air-filled pontoons, and the main objective of such a vehicle would be to carry “containers over water and directly onto shore.” DARPA’s program manager, Scott Littlefield, said, “To allow military ships and aircraft to focus on unique military missions they alone can fulfill, it makes sense to develop technologies to leverage standard commercial container ships.” [Press Release]
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