Hydrofoil Technology and Ground Effect Vehicles for Maritime Ops Offer Speed and Efficiency Advantages, Says Expert

Brigadier Arvind Dhananjayan (Retd) has outlined a compelling vision for the future of maritime transportation and rescue operations, highlighting the potential of hydrofoil craft and Ground Effect Marine Vehicles (GEMVs) to revolutionize how personnel and supplies are moved across vast distances.

These technologies, known for their speed, efficiency, and unique tactical advantages, represent a significant leap forward in both military and commercial maritime transport.

Hydrofoil technology offers a transformative approach to maritime mobility. As a hydrofoil craft gains speed, the hydrofoils beneath the hull lift the vessel out of the water, dramatically reducing drag and allowing for significantly higher speeds compared to traditional vessels.

The strategic benefits of such speed and efficiency are particularly valuable in military applications where rapid deployment of personnel, equipment, or aid is critical.

One of the most striking examples of hydrofoil-inspired innovation is the Ekranoplan, a Ground Effect Vehicle (GEV) designed for rapid over-water transit.

Capable of speeds up to 500 km/h and a range of 1,500 km, the Ekranoplan operates at altitudes between 4 and 14 meters above the water, leveraging the "ground effect" to maintain lift and stability. This design enables it to navigate sea conditions up to Sea State 3, handling swells of up to 1.2 meters effectively.

Such capabilities make the Ekranoplan ideal for calm to mildly turbulent waters, positioning it as a unique tool for both strategic transport and maritime rescue missions.

Beyond its speed and operational range, the Ekranoplan's low-altitude flight profile makes it largely immune to radar detection, a crucial advantage in military and covert operations.

This stealth capability stems from the vehicle flying below the minimum detection altitude of most radar systems, enabling it to traverse contested or surveillance-heavy zones with relative ease.

In the context of modern military and maritime strategy, Brigadier Dhananjayan's advocacy for GEMVs underscores their potential as game-changing tools. These vehicles could provide a compelling alternative to conventional naval transport systems, offering unmatched speed, stealth, and efficiency.

With advancements in technology, the renewed focus on GEMVs could address challenges in fast, high-capacity overseas transportation, fulfilling the strategic needs of nations seeking dominance in the maritime domain.

In an era where transportation technologies are constantly evolving, hydrofoils and GEMVs represent a promising avenue for innovation. Their resurgence could usher in a new chapter in maritime operations, blending speed, stealth, and strategic capacity to redefine the possibilities for military and commercial maritime transport.

 

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The big problem with hydrofoil craft is that that need to be small. If you want to generate enough power to get speed to lift a part of the hull above the water, you need to have a small boat with separate foils.

Now, on very small boats, this is easily accomplished, and even leads to higher fuel efficiency. Go past the 150-180 ton displacement threshold, however, and suddenly fuel consumption shoots up.

The largest hydrofoil ever built was USS Plainview, and she came in at 310 tons. However, she need to have two LM1500 gas turbines for that, for a combined output of 20 MW. For reference, that is about the same power output as that of Kora-class corvette that displaces about five times as much as Plainview did. For all that power, Plainview could manage 40 knots, which is on the lower end for hydrofoils.

Essentially, the only use case for hydrofoils is if you want to build a small missile boat, fit it with hydrofoils, push it to 45-50 knots, put 4-8 anti-ship missiles on that, and send it into war knowing it will probably never return. A modern Osa-class missile boat, if you will. Well, that, or use small hydrofoil ferries for travelling between Islands.

However, hydrofoils have been superseded by waterjets to an extent. The Car Nicobar-class patrol vessel, as an example, displaces about as much as Plainview did, has three waterjets operating on about 25 MW of power, and manages 35 knots. However, the Car Nicobar-class cost about 7 million USD each in 2024 dollars compared to about 110 million for the Plainview, and are far cheaper to operate and have a longer range.