W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center, performed comparative tests between the KUDU II and the KAAMA. The KAAMA is a conventional mono-hull planing craft. The data obtained during comparative trials show that the KUDU II pitch motion, in sea state 2, at about 40 to , is about 30% to 60% lower than the conventional planing hull KAAMA. Unfortunately the KUDU II sustained severe damages during the trials, therefore there are little data available to compare. In 1996, Privalov and Kirillovikh presented a new vehicle concept called TAP, Transport Amphibious Platform. It can be considered an AAMV. The TAP consists in two hulls, like a catamaran, and a fuselage, a wing and an aerodynamic tail in between the hulls. It moves always in contact with the water and uses an aerodynamic cushion effect, obtained by forcing the powerplant gas jets beneath the platform between the hulls. The authors assess that the advantages of the TAP are: the high speed, compared to air cushion vehicles and ships (around 250 km/h), amphibious capability, high cargo-carrying capacity, also due to his higher weight efficiency, obtained by a more simplified structural scheme as compared to hovercraft and WIGe vehicles. This vehicle seems to be very promising, however the authors presented only performances estimation of the TAP, without disclosing any detail on the dynamics model adopted. In 1997, Doctors proposed a new configuration called Ekranocat for which he mentioned the aerodynamic alleviation concept. The weight of the catamaran is alleviated by aerodynamic lift, thanks to a more streamlined superstructure than in traditional catamarans. The theoretical analysis and computed results show that reductions in total drag around 50% can be obtained at very high speed. See also Wing-in-ground effect vehicle Surface effect ship References External links The WIG Page, history of Wing-In-Ground craft Watercraft