QinetiQ announces career change for Research Vessel Triton

QinetiQ announces career change for Research Vessel Triton
After successfully proving the concept of using a trimaran design for future warships, QinetiQ's triple-hull research vessel, Triton, has been sold to UK company, Gardline. Gardline's clients include the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and it is expected that this unique vessel will be used for hydrographic survey work.

RV Triton was built by shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft (now VT Group) at Southampton. 90 metres in length at the waterline and with a 22.5 metres beam, the trimaran warship demonstrator was launched in August 2000. Later that year she embarked on a two-year risk reduction trial programme on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense. Her main remit was to go out and look for storms so that the trials could be carried out in real and testing conditions.

During the trials programme, RV Triton operated in a variety of sea states and at differing speeds. She was found to have good directional stability and proved to be far more comfortable in higher sea states than a comparable sized monohull. The trials included towing operations, helicopter landings, replenishment at sea, structural loading, working with the US Coastguard and the launch and recovery of a small ship's boat. All aspects of trimaran performance were tested and the results exceeded all expectations. Triton successfully demonstrated that trimarans are not only able to perform the same missions as monohull ships but can do so more economically and in more severe sea conditions.

Using the sea trials data, QinetiQ developed and validated a design toolset and now has the knowledge and ability to design trimarans for all types of future applications for the triple-hull form.

Since completing the two-year trials programme, Triton has been used as a trials platform for other QinetiQ technologies including its composite propeller.

QinetiQ's trimaran programme has been supported throughout by VT Group who remain committed to the trimaran concept.