Meet Austal’s ‘MANTA’ Catamaran Drone Mothership
The article highlights the “MANTA” drone mothership and multirole catamaran, presented by Austal, a shipbuilder based in Henderson, WA, at Sydney’s Indopacific 2023. MANTA, an acronym for “Multimission Autonomous Network Transporter (Armed)”, is derived from Austal’s “Expeditionary Fast Transport” and “High Speed Vessel”. The catamaran features a length of 78 meters, and a beam of 19.3 meters, and accommodates a crew of 20 plus 30 additional personnel. It can reach a top speed of 30 knots and has a range of up to 2,700 km at 12.5 knots, powered by four 4,300 kW diesel engines and four waterjets. MANTA is designed for versatile roles, with a mission bay for UUVs, a range of weapons, CEAFAR 2-radar integration, and a helicopter landing deck for Seahawk helicopters or drones. Its armament includes a variety of munitions for anti-ship, land attack, and self-defence roles. Additionally, it can support containerized solutions for mine warfare and humanitarian assistance, emphasizing its multi-mission capability. While MANTA’s design offers potential cost-effectiveness and high mobility, challenges in sensor integration and damage control remain unaddressed.