Stealth Navy Ship M80 Stiletto Marching on Washington

The Navy League’s Global Maritime Exposition, the largest event of its kind in the U.S., will bring together starting April 9 no less than 275 exhibits of the latest technologies in maritime, defense and energy sectors.

Among the items to be displayed is the M80 Stiletto, a vessel designed for combat in waters close to the shore, says Navy Times.

The ship is 88-foot (27 meters) long and comes in a shape unseen on other vessels before. The distinct profile of the ship is said to allow it to bounce radar waves, making it nearly undetectable.

The unique hull of the Stiletto hides four Caterpillar engines delivering a combined output of 1,652 horsepower and a top speed of 60 knots (110 km/h, 68 mph). The ship can go hunting for a range of 500 nautical miles (900 km) on a single outing, fully equipped.

The vessel features a flight deck for launching and retrieving military drones, as well as a rear ramp which allows for the deployment of an inflatable boat or underwater vehicle.

Currently, the vessel is not part of any active fleet, being only a test prototype. It was created at first as a part of a project of the Office of Force Transformation (OFT), meant to advance netcentric command capabilities.

Loosely translated, that means the Stiletto working with other vessels or pieces of hardware to overcome difficult operational situations.

In 2006 and 2007, Stiletto took part in several war games, conducting mine-clearing experimentation.

Stiletto was at the time the largest carbon-fiber composites ship in the U.S. Navy. Its distinctive Pentamaran hull design will be visible on the Potomac River as it travels to the Washington event.