A stealth vessel is a vessel that employs stealth technologies to make it more difficult to detect. The ship's presence is hidden from radar, sonar or visual detection. The MV Ocean Trader, Cragside, and Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports are examples of such vessels.
MV Ocean Trader
The US Navy stealth ship MV Ocean Trader was built in the United States. It can operate for up to 45 days with a crew consisting of 209 special-warfighters. It can also recharge at sea and replenish up to four small craft. It also features a flight deck for helicopter operations, storage for Zodiacs, RHIB launch capability, and command and control. It offers food services as well as other amenities.
Rich brought the idea to the Pentagon where a Navy Captain responsible for submarine research and development was working on it. Rich convinced him that the ship was too costly, even though he was concerned about its cost. The ship was dry-docked after that. It demonstrated technology that could be applied to radar and lower cross sections of a new type of destroyer.
MV Cragside
The US Navy quietly converts a 633-foot cargo vessel into a stealth helicopter carrier. Odense Steel Shipyard designed and built the ship. It can travel up to 21 knots. It includes a forward two-bay hangar, with an additional flightdeck on top. You can land helicopters from the top deck thanks to its wide openings.
Its design is similar the Point Class RoRo Ships used by United States Navy. The US Navy will convert the ship to a "maritime-support vessel", which can accommodate at least 207 persons. It will be able to travel up to 45 days, and can reach 8000 miles. It will also have a speed of 20 knots for up to 5 days and be capable of transiting 3000 nautical miles in Sea State 5.
Corvette of the MV Visby-class
The MV Visby Corvette (Swedish Navy) is a stealthy ship that can target submarines and other vessels. Its design emphasizes low visibility and low radar cross-section. This stealth ship can transport an AgustaWestland A109M Helicopter.
The Visby features a composite hull that is made of carbon fiber, vinyl laminated, and PVC. This composite material is half the weight as steel of the same strength. This composite material also has enhanced radar-absorbing properties. Its lower thermal signature makes detection by radar and infrared sensors more difficult.
MV Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports
The MV Spearhead-class Expeditionary fast transports are fast and maneuverable ships that are part of the U.S. Navy's Sealift Program. These ships, which are low-draft and have high speeds, can be used for transporting heavy and lightweight equipment as well personnel. These ships can move at 35 to 45 knots.
Austal in Mobile (Alabama) built the ship. It was christened USNS Spearhead on September 2011. The ship passed acceptance trials in September 2012, and in October 2013, US Navy completed operational testing of T-EPF-1.
MV Sea Shadow
James Rich was the original designer of the stealthy-sea ship prototype, the MV Sea Shadow. Rich took the design to the Pentagon office of a Navy Captain, responsible for submarine research development. Rich's idea was rejected because it would have a high cost and could slow down the ship. Rich refuted the captain's objections and explained the benefits of stealthy performance. The US Navy funded the prototype, and the MV Sea Shadow was a highly efficient stealth ship.
The Sea Shadow began trials in 1985 and was unarmed at the time. It was intended initially as a demonstration vessel and testing platform. Later, it was intended to carry a huge radar in its cargo bay. The modification was delayed and not completed. Plans were also made for the ship to carry Patriot air defence missiles. These could operate in advance of surface ships.