Boats that don’t sink: Ukraine tests new watercraft for the Armed Forces

New Ukrainian-made motor boats are able to withstand impacts and remain afloat even after hull damage.

The Ukrainian company Gulfstream has conducted demonstration tests of multi-purpose boats for representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a number of law enforcement agencies, as well as civilian and humanitarian organizations. This was повідомила reported by the National Association of the Defense Industry of Ukraine (NAUDI).

These are the GS5200TSB and GS6400TSB models, made of high-density polyethylene. The hull of these boats is resistant to collisions with stones or other obstacles, has high maintainability and radio transparency.

One of the key advantages is complete unsinkability: the space under the deck is filled with waterproof balls, which prevents the boat from sinking even in the event of serious damage.

According to the developers, the boats have practically no service life restrictions – maintenance is reduced to basic storage, since the hull material is not exposed to water, oxygen, salts, oils or fuel.

The GS5200TSB and GS6400TSB models have already passed the codification of the Ministry of Defense and are approved for operation in the Armed Forces. They can be used in both amphibious and transport missions.

The need for such boats is especially high among units operating in the Kherson direction and in special operations in the Black Sea.

Prior to this, most boats for the Ukrainian military came from partners or charitable organizations that purchased them on the civilian market. In May, Aquaspirit rigid-inflatable boats were already approved for operation, and thanks to the Brave1 program, the company supplied more than 100 such units to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Police.

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