Waiting for the presence of the world's first tank boat

Almost a year and a half since the full-scale model (mock up) of the X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' shown at the 7th Indo Defense event which took place in November 2016, here's the continuation news of this world's first tank boat.

Here's she is the X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' full-scale model shown at 7th Indo Defense held on November 2016. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2wsM1tv)

The boat that drew its concept since 2015 was offered by a shipbuilding company from Banyuwang, East Java, namely PT.Lundin Industry Invest. (North Sea Boats) in collaboration with PT.Pindad, an Indonesian state-owned enterprise as a local partner.

While its foreign partners are the CMI Defense weapons industry, and OIP (Optique et de Instruments Precision), a sensor system development company. Both are from Belgium and also involve the Swedish defense industry Bofors.

The toughest challenge in designing a large cannon-armed small boat was the recoil problem caused by the canon fire and the weight of the ship itself. Learning from Sikorsky's lack of success with their monohull tank boat design, PT.Lundin applied a catamaran design (double keel) on the X18 to make it more stable and also applied a gyro-stabilized gun.

These X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' suitable to operate on the river channel and the shoreline as waters patrol boat. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2wsM1tv)

In an effort to save the weight of the ship, PT.Lundin integrates lightweight composite materials that are 10 times lighter and 10 times stronger than steel and also fire resistant. This is different from the material that was used on their previous ship products such as the KCR Trimaran KRI Klewang 625. Besides that the X18 also uses aluminum material for the tower dome.

The CMI Defense is responsible for supplying the Cockerill XC-8 105HP turret system which already has a ballistic and stabilization computer system to provide solutions and correction of cannon shooting angles. This dome system is manned by two people whose have integrated with a bustle-mounted autoloader.

The vaulted tank cannon ships, X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' also able to operate as a supporter ship in an amphibious landing or infiltration missions. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2wsM1tv)

These tank boat able to fire all types of NATO caliber 105 mm tank munitions that provide its commanders with various ammunition options according to tactical situations in the field. This canon can also release the Falarick 105 Gun-Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (GLATGM) which can crush a heavy armor vehicle at a distance of 5 km.

Its main weapon is the canon caliber 105 mm hp (high pressure) can be used to fight larger ships. These floating-tank has cannon elevation angle that reaches 42 degrees so make it can be used to provide indirect gunfires as far as 10 km while the allies troops are making landings.

The X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' of Indonesian Ministry of Defense being made at PT.Lundin shipbuilding facility in Banyuwangi. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2PRjyWG)

As a secondary weapon, the X18 carries the Bofors LEMUR-Remote Weapon System (RWS) with 7.62 mm caliber machine guns. For the protection of the crew, PT.Lundin also provide an additional protection system at several points that can withstand bullet collisions up to 7.62 mm caliber and 12.77 mm caliber in frontal point.

The X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' of Indonesian Ministry of Defense being made at PT.Lundin shipbuilding facility in Banyuwangi. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2NwDVqn)

This small ship with double keel has a dimention of 18.79 m long, beam over all 6.10 m and draugh of 1 m making it suitable for maneuvering in shallow waters ranging from around the river mouth to the coast and small inter-island straits. And these X18 is supported by two MAN-made diesel engines able to generate power of 1,200 hp to drive a pair of MJP450 waterjet with a maximum speed of 40 knots (74 kph) for sail as far as 2,000 miles (3,218 km).

In its mission, these X18 Tank Boat will be manned by six crew members, besides being used as a water patrol vehicle, it can also be used as a support vessel in an amphibious operations or troop infiltration because the X18 can carry 20 fully armed soldiers and also one Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB). Another function of the X18 is as a vehicle for logistical support or the role of Medevac.

As quoted of Angkasa Review on July 2018, the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Defense has been ordered this tank boat in 2017, and currently the construction process is being carried out at the PT.Lundin shipbuilding facility in Banyuwangi. In addition to fulfilling orders from the Indonesian government, the X18 'Antasena' has also been in demand by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

The X18 Tank Boat 'Antasena' will be sold with a selling price per unit in the range of €10-15 million, or equivalent to Rp.160-240 billion depending on the completeness weaponaries and equiptments carried by the ship.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TANKBOAT.COM]

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Is it true that there are other factors besides ice that triggered the Titanic tragedy?

The tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 is still a debate despite having lasted more than a century ago. 

Recently, in a documentary entitled 'Titanic: The New Evidence' that aired on Channel 4 in the UK, a journalist and writer named Senan Molony outlines the causes of the sinking of the Titanic.

(Pictured: RMS Titanic) New evidence suggests there was something very wrong with the Titanic before the iceberg. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1hcr39)

"It was not as simple as collision with an iceberg and sank. It's a combination of many factors, such as fire, ice, and negligence," said Molony as quoted by Science Alert, on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.

The sinking factors of the Titanic is often overlooked is the fire. The Titanic photographs were auctioned showed black spots. Based on the photos, Molony said the black spots on the ship located near the coal bunker number six after the ship left Belfast in Northern Ireland bound for Southampton on the south coast of England.

New photos show dark marks on the hull, seen here near the centre of the image, just to the right of a group of people. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1hcr39)

The flame heats the walls of the vessel to a temperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius. High temperature makes the vessel wall became soft and not strong enough to survive when struck an iceberg.

"We had a metallurgist who said that the steel that reaches high temperatures will be fragile, its strength is reduced 75 percent," said Molony.

The sinking of the Titanic because of a fire ever put forward by Roben Essenhigh of Ohio State University in 2004. Titanic has been known to move faster than they should. Essenhigh said the ship fast motion may be triggered by an attempt to extinguish the fire.

Not all agree with the fire factors on the sinking of the Titanic. The British Titanic Society, David Hill, said, "The fire is definitely there."

"Does it have a big impact? In my opinion it does not make any difference. It just shows that after all these years, the old ship is still presenting new facts," he said. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE ALERT]

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The most expensive warships ever made

United States had completed construction of one carrier which claimed the most expensive of similar vessels ever built. The warships named USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was made with spent about $12.9 billion, or around Rp. 169.6 trillion.

US Navy officials said the new aircraft carrier will join the Navy fleet in September this year, after which has preceded by a feasibility test in July.

The most expensive aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, officially operate alongside the US Navy in September 2016. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gNMBk)

Sean J Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Acquisition said, the aircraft carrier was built seven years ago or more precisely in 2009. The process is almost completed due until March.

Stackley explained, the USS Gerald R. Ford's "super aircraft carrier" has a weighs of 100,000 tons with a length of approximately 1,100 feet or 335.28 meters. In the explanation in front of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, Stackley said, after a trial in July, the most expensive aircraft carrier will be sent to the Navy shipyards for the next two months later formally operational.

The ship's name was taken from the figure of 38th US president's name, who passed away in 2006. He was ever served on the USS Monterey aircraft carrier during World War II as a Navy officer with the rank of major.

US Navy’s costliest-ever carrier USS Gerald Ford. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gNNl5)

Stackley said the next subsequent Ford class aircraft carrier named the USS John F Kennedy (CVN 79) scheduled will be launched in 2020. Currently, 18 percent of new construction, and is expected to be completed in March 2017.

The third aircraft carrier named USS Enterprise CVN 80) is similar to Ford, which will begin to construct in 2018. The ship construction occurred after Stackley filed AL budget increase for the next five years.

United States wants to build 38 warships during the period at a cost of more than US. $81.3 billion. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RT]

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Indonesian X18 Tank Boat Concept

The X18 Tank Boat Concept is an original Indonesian marine tanks is successfully developed by PT. Lundin Industry Invest, which is a Banyuwangi-based military boat factory. The concept of this marine tanks in a claim to being one of the first in the world because there is no other country which makes it even though America.

After creating the stealth warship, the KCR Trimaran KRI Klewang, the company re-initiated the idea of ​​building a boat or ship with a combination of heavy tanks. The ship is named X18 Tank Boat or similar to the concept of marine tanks. This combination is claimed to be first created and are not in the world arms market.

The X18 Tank Boat Concept by PT. Lundin Industry Invest. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1X9RpZ)

President Director of PT. Lundin Industry Invest, John Lundin, on the sidelines of the Armored Vehicle Asia (AVA) Conference 2015, in Hotel Crowne, Jakarta, saying that "We see this marine tanks can be used for operations in sea and river. The heavy tanks have obstacles to operating in deepening and the islands. Then we develop a combination of boat and tanks to support amphibious landings but equipped with heavy weapons."

Here are several detailed picture of the X18 Tank Boat Concept. (All picture taken from: http://adf.ly/1X9RpZ)

For raw materials, the X18 Tank Boat will use composite materials. Material is considered 10 times stronger than steel but 10 times lighter than steel. John assure fireproof composite material for Tank Boat. He made sure not repeated a similar tragedy that befell to KRI Klewang for wearing a similar material.

"The issue has been resolved. The composite material had problems about resistance to fire. This is a problem in the world. Now composite materials technology have been used in trains and aircraft. The latest technology of composite materials 100% fireproof," he explained further.

X-18 Tank Boat for riverine operations. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ao8H2)

Furthermore John explained, the combination of heavy tanks and boat was ever built by the Russians during World War 2 and the Vietnam War by the United States. Although developed, the product has not succeeded in boat tanks to be produced due to technological constraints. Now, the composite material was helping to resolve the problem of the burden.

A scale model of X18 Tank Boat Concept by PT. Lundin Industry Invest. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1X9RZH)

"Today, the turret of aluminum. Want to shoot from the sea, it takes a high stability. But in the past it can not. This is lightweight products because the use of composite, that might be difficult to be manufactured 5-15 year ago," he explained.

The company plans to making the collaboration with PT. Pindad (Persero) to develop this marine tank. As for the manufacture of the turrets with 105 MM caliber, the company took the CMI Defence, while the Swedish Bofors will be towed to the development of weapons systems.

John admitted the Indonesian military (TNI) responded positively to this marine tanks concept. "They are very impressive. Only 5-10 years ago this product does not exist so do not enter their plans so we work hard to develop," he explained.

When operating, the X18 Tank Boat is capable of carrying four crew and 20 personnel. On the water, the boat made in Banyuwangi is capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 40 knots. The ship has a length of 18 meters with a width of 6.6 meters.

With the X18 Tank Boat, will obviously add to the strength of the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) as well as making the Indonesian military forces are taken into account in the world. In addition it can also be a new breakthrough in expanding markets the Indonesian main weaponry system. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JAKARTAGREATER]

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Boat with racing car technology

A big leap in the development of the automotive industry have been carried out by Mercedes-Benz to create a vehicle which is to overcome a variety of terrains such as on the land and sea.

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing have been collaborating for six years, and is currently developing a boat that was inspired by the Defy Gravity. Using the engine technology that is inspired by racing cars belonging to Mercedes-AMG.

Cigarette Racing 41' SD GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1LkgzvU)

The plan's the vehicles concept will be displayed in the Miami International Boat Show event, which took place on February 11 to 15, 2016 as well as providing new nuances in the automotive and boat lovers that with the collaboration of technological development, so various models of unique vehicles can be built.

As reported by Autoguide, the Cigarette Racing 41' SD GT3 will join the Mercedes-AMG GT3 racing team, to display a high performance boat. Cigarette Racing has revealed the complete figure of this boat on February 11, 2016 by online on its official website, to show them who could not attend the event in Miami.

2015 Cigarette Racing GT S and Mercedes-AMG GT S. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1V53a0k)

Last year, the two companies have also collaborated on another boat concept named Cigarette Racing GT S and Mercedes-AMG GT S is priced at $1.2 million (approximately Rp.16 billion). The vehicles get the title as AMG Solarbeam with a blend of yellow and black matte paint color.

The boat of the same color is supported by the power up to 1,550 hp which coming from a V8 twin Mercury Racing engine, and made the Cigarette GT S concept have a top speed of 216 kph (135 mph). *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CIGARETTES RACING | AUTOGUIDE]

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Chilli Island, an electric-powered private island

The most expensive tropical island is currently listed at Sotheby's International Realty is a sandy island in French Polynesia called Motu Matatahi. Lies about an hour by boat from the Bora Bora airport, and valued US $270,000.

Want cheaper, here it is Chilli Island, a motorized floating seat enough for two people costs only US $14,800. And unlike Motu Matatahi, Chilli Island have a drink and there is stereo.

Chilli Island, a motorized floating seat enough for two people. (Picture from: http://dailym.ai/1fGWpm1)

As reported by BBC Auto, the vehicle was originally designed as water toys for the beach resort, Chilli Island produced in Austria, offers a pair of padded seats a permanent state of recline.

Chilli Island produced in Austria, offers a pair of padded seats a permanent state of recline. (Picture from: http://dailym.ai/1fGWpm1)

The structure, about 8 feet long, made of a combination of polyethylene and fiberglass weighs about 440 lbs. Buyers can choose one of the two electric motors Torqeedo: 1kw open version or 0.5 kw children's pool, both of which offer operating time of about 6 hours for a single battery charge.

To control is quite simple: A lever to change the direction and switch buttons to speed. A small the liquid crystal screen will displays the battery indicator, speed, and position of the motor. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BBC AUTO]

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Future Seabed Explorers

Experts had just made the first underwater robot named U-CAT. This turtle-shaped robot has excellent movement. U-CAT Robot exhibited at Robot Safari in the London Science Museum, was designed such that it can go in and writhed in the shipwrecks.

The robot was designed with fins instead of propellers so it can still be driven in all directions without disturbing water and beating up silt from the bottom, which would decrease visibility inside the shipwreck. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

The movement principle of U-CAT robot is similar to sea turtles. It could automatically control of four fin, making this robot in a dynamic maneuver. U-CAT can swim back and forth, up and down, and turn in all directions. Maneuver is the feature needed when checking narrow spaces such as in shipwrecks. In the water, U-CAT robot was bring onboard camera can record a video so it can be used to reconstruct underwater sites.

Here, the U-Cat robotic turtle explores a simulation of a wreck in a demonstration. It has a camera onboard and can record what it sees so video footage can later be used to reconstruct a site underwater. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

"U-CAT is specifically designed for users who want to identify the bottom of the sea. The U-CAT fins could drive the robot in any direction without stirring up mud from the bottom of the water that will decrease visibility," said Taavi Salumäe, a designer of U-CAT robot concept and researchers from the Center for Biorobotic in Tallinn University of Technology. Underwater robots now widely used by the oil and gas industry as well as to maintain the sea defenses.

Tallinn University of Technology, Centre for Biorobotics, Estonia, has created 'ARROWS' - an archaeology robot designed to dive to dangerous depths. The robotic turtle can operate independently, inspecting wrecks for hours before resurfacing, and has not been shown in the UK before. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

For the purposes of identification of the shipwrecks, the robot is still too big and expensive. Today, the shipwrecks was explored by divers. However, this dive was consuming time and cost not a bit. The diving procedures are also considered dangerous for divers. U-CAT was designed with the aim of offering an affordable alternative to human divers.

U-CAT, pictured here out of water, has been designed to be smaller and cheaper than underwater exploration vehicles used in the gas, oil and defense industries. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

U-CAT robot is part of the ARROWS European Union research project funding, which is developing technology to help underwater archaeologist. Technology of ARROWS project will be tested in the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea, the two European historic regions in the different environment.

"In the ARROWS project, U-CAT will work closely with the bigger underwater robot project and jointly developing image recognition technology for the discovery, identification and reconstruction of underwater sites," said Dr. Sebastiano Tusa, an underwater archaeologist of the Local Government Sicily.

At the London Science Museum, the team showing the U-CAT robot and an interactive model of U-CAT movement that operates in an aquarium.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILYMAIL]

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Titanic II will be built in China

Still remember the ambitions of Australia billionaire, Clive Palmer, who wants to build a replica of the legendary luxury liner, Titanic? It turns out he was serious, he unveiled the blueprints of the massive ship at a press conference at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Tuesday (February 26, 2013) and will begin construction in China and is ready to set sail early in 2016 by the same route, from Southampton, England, to New York City, USA and will have a crew of 900 people looking after its 2,435 passengers.

Computer generated image of the Titanic II. (Picture from: http://metro.co.uk/)

With four funnels and three classes of passenger travel, Titanic II will have some luxuries that were not available on Titanic I--a state-of-the-art hospital, a helicopter pad, and Wi-Fi and air-conditioning. Palmer convinced the ship was not going to repeat the failure of the original Titanic because it would successfully navigate the ocean. Palmer said: "The cabin passengers will have the exact same design, but there will be modern things like air-conditioning and other features are still under consideration, for example the internet in the ship,"

Titanic II’s Grand Staircase will look just like the old one if this computer image is anything to go by. (Picture from: http://metro.co.uk/)

Various 1920s-style clothing is also available and the boat (small boat) in an amount sufficient for all passengers. For fans of the James Cameron filmed "Titanic," the vessel will be designed so as to make passengers feel like playing in the film, but without having the end of the movie of course.

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer speaks during a news conference about his intention to build the Titanic II. (Picture from: http://metro.co.uk/)

Palmer will try not to boast in the project. "I'm not too superstitious... Anything will sink if you put a hole in it. I think it would be very cavalier to say it," he said during a press conference.

"This ship has so far had 40,000 people on our website for tickets, we’ve had 16 people that have offered to pay more than $750,000 to $1 million per cabin," said Clive Palmer who is the chairman of shipping company Blue Star Line.

Port side of the original Titanic.
(Picture from: http://www.titanicuniverse.com/)

Original Titanic ship sank due to hit the iceberg on 15 April 1912, killing 1,523 passengers and crews (jump to related article). The passengers can feel calm because the Finnish ship construction company that helped build the ship in China said the ship would be safest cruises in the world.

News of the Titanic II plan soon attracting attention on Twitter social media sites and make it a trending topic as follow,

Martin@MartinComedyy wrote, "Titanic II...is there going to be an Iceberg II?"

Andy Lassner‏@andylassner added, "Just heard about the billionaire who's building Titanic II that'll be ready in 2016. I'll be rushing to get my Hindenburg II done by 2015."

A handout photograph provided by Blue Star Line shows a computer generated image of the Titanic II's Gymnasium. (Picture from: http://metro.co.uk/)

Jared‏@ghero46 wrote, "I've got this weird, sinking feeling about the Titanic II being built."