Sentinel

Ground Effect Wing Patrol Boat

With a large coastline to patrol the UK needed a fast patrol vessel to protect that coastline. Tasked with intercepting and deterring intruding foreign vessels. This includes illegal immigration, fishing, smuggling and cross border importation and exportation. The Sentinel is operated by the Royal Navy and HM Customs and Immigration.

    Introduction

    The Sentinel is a ground effect wing craft. Designed for high speed patrols across water. It is the perfect design for patrolling the UK's coastline.

    When moored the Sentinel floats like a normal boat. For slow speed manoeuvring the craft still sits in the water. When it needs to make a high speed dash the ground effect takes place, lifting the Sentinel clear of the water up to around 15m. This makes for a much smoother and faster journey than a normal boat.

    It is electric powered and virtually silent once it is in the air.

    Accommodation

    The main accommodation is an aircraft like nose section that houses the cockpit, galley, head, and operations room.

    Sentinel's are not deigned for long deployments and will travel back to base at the end of each shift.

    Other Features

    • Ground effect wing for high speed, low-level flight
    • Capacity for 8 passengers

    Environmental Data

    • Maximum Flight Ceiling
      • 15 metres

    Structure

    • Substructure
        • Nano Carbon hull frame
      • Hull
          • Polymer sandwich - energetic storage
          • Nanocarbon frame
        • Internal Damage Repair
            • Nanofoam breach sealant system
          • Dimensions
            •  Length
              • 17 m
            • Span
              • 15m
            • Draught
              • 0.5m

          Propulsion

          • Main Drive
              • 2 x MagTec Propeller drive motors producing 750hp each
              • Dowty axially-staggered 8 blade propellers. With reverse thrust actuators. Built in ice de-shedding.
                • Range
                    • Unlimited. Restricted by the crew's needs
                  • Maximum Speed wing in ground effect
                      • 130 knots
                    • Manoeuvring
                        • Integrated wing micro flaps
                        • Retractable water rudder

                    Energetics

                    • Primary
                          • Polymer battery packs capable of providing 300 nautical miles range without charge. Backed up by integrated photovoltaic hull panels and turbine recuperating energetic systems.
                          • Using full energy harvesting the Sentinel is capable of travelling 1000's of miles.
                    • Secondary
                          • Opal pack energetic hull wafers
                          • Over 80% of the craft is energetically storage capable
                          • Remote energy harvesting

                    Detection Systems

                    Detection systems vary depending on deployment and operator.

                    • Primary
                          • Thales 2121 Radar system
                    • Secondary
                          • Low light
                          • UV
                          • Thermal Imaging
                          • Laser communications and ranging
                    • Tertiary
                          • Thales Towed sonar array

                    Informatics

                    • Crew
                        • Two crew
                      • Primary
                          • Standard digital cockpit

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