The RV TRITON which is being launched in May 2000 will be used to assess the potential use of the trimaran hull form for future warship designs. The conference covers the design, development and building of R.V. TRITON and includes visits to the vessel itself at Vosper Thornycroft and to the DERA testing facilities at Haslar.

For the past five years the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) had been assessing the potential use of the trimaran hull form in future warship designs. Based on the encouraging results of this extensive research programme the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) committed itself to fund and build an ocean going Trimaran Demonstrator – RV TRITON. Vosper Thornycroft is constructing the vessel which is being built to Det Norske Veritas (DNV) High Speed and Light Craft Classification rules. The vessel is some 90 metres at the waterline. This is considered the minimum necessary to provide results, which can be accurately scaled up to full scale to allow the final development and validation of the hydrodynamic, structural and survivability numerical computer models.
The vessel will be able to achieve a speed of 20 knots and has the endurance to cross the Atlantic Ocean without refueling. During its first two years of life the ship will be used to validate the research results and resolve any risks associated with the hullform.

After this trial period it will be available for hire as a general purpose trials facility for the testing and evaluation of either military or commercial equipment.

More information: Trimaran Demonstrator Project