Whether you call it a diver delivery unit (DDU), a surface-submersible or a powerboat that’s also part submarine, one thing’s for sure: Victa is a unique craft that can go from being a stealthy military asset to a billionaire’s sophisticated water toy.
The construction of this complex boat began in 2018, but Subsea Craft, the British company that’s developing it, has recently hit a milestone: Victa has entered water for the first time. Janes reported that the vessel underwent its first tests this past weekend, in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
What makes Victa revolutionary is that it combines the capabilities of a surface craft with those of a submarine, which basically means that it can move very fast both on the surface of the water and under it, as well as transition seamlessly from one medium to the other. This is particularly important for military operations, where divers need to be inserted and extracted fast and in secret.
With a length of 11.95 meters (39 feet), Victa has enough room for two crew members and six divers. A custom diesel engine with a 725 BHP (735 HP) output can deliver an impressive speed of up to 40 knots, while the 20 kW electric thrusters allow the craft to be “flown” at 8 knots when it's submerged. The DDU also boasts a massive range of 250 nautical miles on the surface, and up to 4-hour endurance under water.
Besides its impressive speed and range, Victa has a dive transition time of only 120 seconds, going as deep as 30 meters (98.4 feet) under water. Equipped with an advanced onboard open circuit air system that provides enough air for eight people, with an autonomy of four hours, this stealthy vessel is able to conduct secret missions, delivering and retrieving divers close to their operation area.
The Victa prototype still has a long way to go. These initial tests will be followed by surface water trials and subsea trials at the beginning of next year. According to Portshmouth.co.uk, once completed, this pioneering surface-submersible will go for no less than £10 million ($13.8 million).
What makes Victa revolutionary is that it combines the capabilities of a surface craft with those of a submarine, which basically means that it can move very fast both on the surface of the water and under it, as well as transition seamlessly from one medium to the other. This is particularly important for military operations, where divers need to be inserted and extracted fast and in secret.
With a length of 11.95 meters (39 feet), Victa has enough room for two crew members and six divers. A custom diesel engine with a 725 BHP (735 HP) output can deliver an impressive speed of up to 40 knots, while the 20 kW electric thrusters allow the craft to be “flown” at 8 knots when it's submerged. The DDU also boasts a massive range of 250 nautical miles on the surface, and up to 4-hour endurance under water.
Besides its impressive speed and range, Victa has a dive transition time of only 120 seconds, going as deep as 30 meters (98.4 feet) under water. Equipped with an advanced onboard open circuit air system that provides enough air for eight people, with an autonomy of four hours, this stealthy vessel is able to conduct secret missions, delivering and retrieving divers close to their operation area.
The Victa prototype still has a long way to go. These initial tests will be followed by surface water trials and subsea trials at the beginning of next year. According to Portshmouth.co.uk, once completed, this pioneering surface-submersible will go for no less than £10 million ($13.8 million).