The US Navy Has Ghosts

The Ghost uses a gyro-stabilized dual-pontoon supercavitating hull to run at top speed through 10-foot seas. Called small waterplane-area twin-hull (SWATH), it is controlled by 22 computer-controlled underwater control surfaces. When at rest or moving slowly, the Ghost sits in the water on its centerline module. At eight knots or faster, the high-grade marine aluminum buoyant hulls lift the vessel and achieve full stability.

Propulsion on the prototype is provided by T53-703 turboshaft engines, with the company planning to replace them with the General Electric T700 turboshaft.

The Ghost has achieved speeds of over 30 knots, and is being tested to 50 knots. It can perform several different missions including anti-surface warfare (ASuW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and mine countermeasures (MCM): ASuW armament consists of the M197 20mm rotary cannon and launch tubes that expel exhaust downward between the struts of the SWATH hulls, concealing and dissipating the thermal signature of the launch for BGM-176B Griffin missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rockets, with an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor and radar; an ASW version could be equipped with an EO/IR sensor, radar, sonobuoy launch tubes, a dipping sonar, and four aft-firing torpedo tubes; an MCM version could be equipped with a towing boom to lower and raise two towed mine-hunting sonars, such as the Kline 5000 or Raytheon AN/AQS-20A.

The current Ghost costs $10 million per copy, is crewed by 3-5 sailors, and can be partially disassembled to fit in a C-17 Globemaster III for transport if needed.