§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment his Department has made of the suitability of trimaran hulls for future types of warship. [98237]
§ Mr. IngramA number of studies have been undertaken in recent years to examine the suitability of the trimaran hull form to meet future naval capability requirements. These studies have indicated significant potential advantages over more conventional hull forms for many naval roles. This led to the design and build of the 97 metre demonstrator RV Triton, which has recently completed an extensive and very successful trials programme. The data gathered will be shared with industry in support of possible trimaran solutions for future defence requirements.