Light High-Speed Tracked Amphibious Vehicle Navy SBIR FY2010.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.2 Topic No.: N102-157 Topic Title: Light High-Speed Tracked Amphibious Vehicle Proposal No.: N102-157-0780 Firm: Fast Track Amphibian LLC 1515 Central Park Drive Hurst, Texas 76053-7401 Contact: Kenneth Wernicke Phone: (817) 268-5032 Web Site: www.fasttrackamphibian.com Abstract: Fast Track Amphibian has made a key breakthrough that allows amphibious vehicles to use rubber tracks to provide propulsion during water-mode operations. Without the need to switch drive trains, extremely rapid transitions between water and land-mode operation are now possible, and the weight of the second drive train is eliminated. We have built a 1/5th scale-model and an 18' manned testbed, the FT1 to research and develop the technology, as well as demonstrating the capability for high-speed operations on land and in the water. In Phase I, we propose to take advantage of these existing platforms by instrumenting them to collect performance data. This data will be used to refine the analytical methodology used to predict vehicle performance. Research testing will also be performed to improving propulsive efficiency of the track. From this, we will characterize a mid-size vehicle that meets the Navy's stated 1-ton requirement. We propose two alternate options to follow-on the Phase I effort that prepare for a Phase II demonstrator: alternate 1 prepares for enhancing the sub-scale FT1, while alternate 2 prepares for a full-scale development model. Benefits: The potential benefit is that FastTrack-enabled vehicles break loose of the limitations that have previously constrained amphibious vehicle performance. Instead of vehicles with limited land or water-mode performance, we can build vehicles that have good performance in both modes, with minimal mode transition time. Such vehicles will address multiple gaps across the services, and are suitable for multiple military and commercial applications: logistics transport, reconnaissance, STOM, littoral, riverine and SOF operations; ice, flood and hurricane rescue; oil exploration and extraction in wetlands and tundra; environment and wildlife protection; and recreational uses. Return