An air-cushion vehicle (ACV), or hovercraft, is an amphibious vehicle or craft, designed to travel over any sufficiently smooth surface supported by a cushion of slowly moving, high-pressure air, ejected downwards against the surface close below it. Most military air cushion vehicles are amphibious ACVs that are exceptionally suited to various tasks as they are not dependent on road conditions and can quickly move across the various terrains in pursuit of their goal. Many armed forces around the world now have military ACVs in their arsenal. 

NetStar Technologies’ LACV8-A Amphibious Assault Air Cushion Vehicle is designed for the insertion, support and extraction of combat personnel, land vehicles, and equipment. It will accomplish any task performed by a fast boat, but will operate where no boat can venture over land and sea mines, sand, mud, ice, snow, rocks, weeds, logs, debris and rapids. The LACV8-A has the ability to travel at high speed over a wide variety of surfaces; the reliability and low maintenance of the modern diesel engines; simple but rugged construction; ease of operation and maintenance; and a high degree of maneuverability.Cruising at high speed, the LACV8-A operates best where it is difficult, if not impossible, for conventional boats to operate i.e. over land and shallow water, sand, mud, rocks, weeds, logs, debris, ice and rapids.

NetStar has the capability of fitting the LACV8-A out in a wide variety of configurations or to build to a new specific design to fit the needs and requirements of the customer. In addition, of NetStar’s LACV8-A can be built with protection from ballistic, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. 
 

LACV8-A Advantages

• Fully Amphibious - Operate over water, land, sandbanks, mudflats, ice, rocks and rapids.
• High Speed - Cruise at full payload at speeds of 25-36 knots.
• Low Initial Costs - Similar price to conventional boats of same speed and payload.
• Low Operating Costs - Similar to conventional boats of same speed and payload.
• Air-Cooled Diesel Engines - Gives reliability and long life
• Negligible Noise Levels - About the same as a truck or high-speed boat.
• Highly Maneuverable - More maneuverable than boats
• Simple - Simple in design, manufacture, operation and maintenance.
• Reliable - Proven over tens of thousands of operating hours
• Easy to Operate - Same time as for learning to drive a car or truck
• Easy to Maintain - An ordinary diesel or boat mechanic can service and maintain
• Minimal Training - From one day for the smallest to eight weeks for the largest craft.
• Very Little Spray - Low cushion pressure keeps spray to a minimum
• No Wash or Wake - There is virtually no wash / wake at high speed.
• Classifiable - By Lloyds, US Coastguard or other classification authorities.
• No Berthing Problems - Operate equally successfully from unprepared beaches and riverbanks or from piers, pontoons and harbors.

Further Information

For further information about NetStar's LACV8-A Amphibious Assault Air Cusion Vehicle, contact NetStar Technologies Sales at (361) 354-5468.