Griffon Hoverwork

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Griffon Hoverwork Ltd
TypeLimited company
IndustryMarine Services
PredecessorsGriffon Hovercraft Ltd, Hoverwork Ltd
Founded2009;14 years ago (2009) in Southampton
Headquarters
Southampton
,
Key people
Christopher Cockerell
Dr E W H Gifford
ProductsHovercraft
Parent Bland Group
Website www.griffonhoverwork.com

Griffon Hoverwork Ltd (GHL) is a British hovercraft designer and manufacturer.

Contents

It was originally founded as Griffon Hovercraft Ltd in 1976, based in Southampton. The firm set about the development of its own product range, launching its first diesel-powered hovercraft, the 1000TD, in 1983. During 2008, Griffon Hovercraft was acquired by the Bland Group; in the following year, it was merged with two other hovercraft specialists, Hoverwork Ltd and Hovercraft Consultants Ltd; the combined entity was branded Griffon Hoverwork Ltd. [1] The company's primary facility is based along the River Itchen in Southampton.

At present, Griffon Hoverwork supplies a range of hovercraft, boats and other specialised marine services to governments, NGOs, and private companies for use in humanitarian, search and rescue, security and commercial roles. Being one of the oldest hovercraft manufacturers, Griffon Hoverwork's products have been used in various parts of the world. By August 2016, the company's existing market share extended into 41 countries while around 180 hovercraft have been delivered to end users. [2] Perhaps its most commercially successful vehicle has been the Griffon Hoverwork 8000TD hovercraft.

History

As a business entity, the company was established under the name Griffon Hovercraft in 1976; for the onset, it operated as a specialised manufacturer of hovercraft for commercial, military and search and rescue purposes. [3] The company's founder, Dr E. W. H. Gifford, had been one of the early pioneers in the field, working alongside British inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell and having been involved with the first commercial hovercraft operations during the 1960s. [4] Likewise, many of Griffon's engineering staff had participated in the development of various hovercraft at the competing manufacturing interest British Hovercraft Corporation, and drew upon their knowledge of the industry in the development of the company's own product range. Griffon Hoverwork's first diesel-powered hovercraft, which was marketed as the 1000TD, was launched in 1983. [3]

Dr Gifford remained in charge of Griffon Hovercraft for many years; John Gifford, son of the founder, was the company's managing director at the time of its merger with Hoverwork Ltd in March 2009. Hoverwork Ltd was a long-established intermediary between hovercraft operators and manufacturers, having helped to launch chartered hovercraft services across the world and having predated Griffon Hoverwork by almost a decade. [3] The merger also involved the integration of Hovercraft Consultants Ltd, a formerly independent specialist in the design, manufacture and operation of hovercraft since 1982; prior to its acquisition, the company had been a supplier to Griffon Hoverwork. [3] [5]

Following the completion of the merger, other changes have been made at the company while under Bland Group's ownership; changes in Griffon Hoverwork's operating practices include an investment in modern lean manufacturing techniques and a new emphasis on after-sales customer interaction; the latter involves offering operators various products and services to improve the sustainability of both air cushion and conventional marine vessels. [2] During the development of the 12000TD hovercraft in the 2010s, Griffon Hoverwork drew on passenger-orientated analysis supplied by operator Hovertravel, a sister company also owned by Bland Group; the passenger experience was a major focus point for the new craft. [2] The company has also made efforts to increase its distributor network; [6] in September 2015, Griffon Hoverwork signed a distributor agreement with South African defence firm Paramount Group. [7]

Models

Griffon 8000TD on Southampton Water Griffon 8000TD.jpg
Griffon 8000TD on Southampton Water

Griffon Hoverwork produces a range of hovercraft that vary from a 380kg payload to 35-75 tonne payloads. Their hovercraft are typically built with aluminium hulls, while parts of the cabins are constructed from glass-reinforced plastic with a bespoke design specialised to the role each given craft shall be used for. Griffon Hoverwork has designed each vehicle to facilitate a wide variety of fit-out configurations to suit various military, paramilitary, industrial, commercial, logistical and commuting purposes. [2] Hovercraft provide a high level of versatility over challenging environments impassible to most other vehicles, such as marshland, tidal estuaries, shallow water, ice, and rapids. [2]

The company was the first hovercraft manufacturer to power their craft with marine diesel engines which, they have claimed, provides a greater level of durability while operating within salt water conditions. [4] Over time, Griffon Hoverwork has incorporated various advances into its product range. The 995ED hovercraft features an adhesive-bonded aluminium hull to decrease craft weight and thereby increase its viable payload; it is the first commercially available hovercraft in the world to be controlled through azimuthing propeller ducts instead of traditional rudders.[ citation needed ] The company's more recent hovercraft, such as the 995ED and the larger 12000TD, have adopted an electric transmission to deliver power from the diesel engines to the propulsion, maneuvering thrusters, and lift systems. [2]

Griffon hovercraft have been predominantly used for civilian transport, military, and life guard operations. They are commonly regarded as commercial craft for heavy duty applications, although considerations have also been made towards their use as leisure craft; passenger-orientated models typically feature noise-minimisation measures, increased external visibility, and accessibility accommodations. [2] Furthermore, the company's product range is designed to meet exacting engineering standards; larger vessels are typically classified to Lloyd's Register standards or other customer-specified standards; they also meet compliance with various environmental, safety and reliability standards. [8]

Specialised boats have been offered, capable of achieving speeds of up to 70 knots. The company also performs experimental design work. They designed and produced an experimental trimaran ferry boat for operation on the River Thames in London, hovering crop-sprayers, hovering cricket-pitch covers for Lord's Cricket Ground, and a hovering reed-cutter for a company in Austria. [9]

Hovertravel 's Griffon 12000TD, Solent Flyer Solent flyer hovercraft.JPG
Hovertravel 's Griffon 12000TD, Solent Flyer
Griffon Hoverwork Current Range
HovercraftBoats
380TDEnforcer 40
995EDEnforcer 46
2000TDEnforcer 50
2400TDGriffon Cougar C10
8000TDGriffon Cougar C119
8100TD
12000TD
BHT

Applications

Military

Griffon Hoverwork's products, primarily versions of their lightweight Griffon 2000TD hovercraft, have been purchased by numerous militaries around the world, including the Royal Marines, the Korean Coast Guard, the Pakistan Navy, the Swedish Coast Guard, [10] the Polish Border Guard, the Estonian Border Guard, and the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service.

During 1993, the United Kingdom's Royal Marines received the first of several Griffon Hoverwork-built 2000TDs. Principally used for their amphibious capabilities, these craft participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Royal Marines used 2000TDs to perform high-speed patrols along the waterways of the Zubayr river, south of Basra. [3] In 2008, Britain decided to upgrade the Royal Marines' 2000TD fleet to the 2400TDs configuration, which resulted in a higher payload capacity along with increased ballistic protection for its occupants.[ citation needed ]

Starting in 2000, production of the Griffon Hoverwork 8000TD became a major endeavour of the firm; its principal customer was the Indian Coast Guard, for which a joint manufacturing arrangement was made with the Indian company Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers. [3] At the time, this deal was the largest to ever be made by the company. [11] Additional operators for the 8000TD series have included three examples supplied to the Korea Coast Guard and five craft for the Saudi Arabian Border Guards. [12]

In 2010, in response to the 2010 Pakistan floods, the Pakistan Navy deployed its fleet of 2000TDs in a humanitarian aid capacity, assisting the 20 million people across the country; the fleet was able to deliver medical supplies and meet other logistical needs across uncharted waters that had otherwise isolated whole communities. [3] That same year, the Pakistan Navy procured a pair of 8100TD hovercraft, each being capable of carrying up to 10 tonnes of payload.

During 2010, Griffon bid for work on the Ship-to-Shore Connector, which would replace the United States Navy's Landing Craft Air Cushion. [13] On 6 July 2012, it was announced that a rival bid headed by Textron Marine & Land Systems had been awarded the $212.7 million fixed-priced contract instead. [14]

During the 2010s, the Colombian Naval Infantry has introduced several hovercraft into their forces; these have been deployed in their long-running conflict against FARC insurgents within the challenging terrain of the Amazon rainforest. According to John Carlos Florez, commander of Colombia's Naval Force South, hovercraft have enabled year-round movement, which was previously impossible with conventional vehicles. [15]

Civil

In 1983, Griffon Hoverwork supplied the South Coast hovercraft operator Hovertravel with the first of their AP1-88 hovercraft; these were used to ferry passengers between Southsea and the Isle of Wight up until 2016. [3] Hovertravel elected to replace its AP1-88 fleet with a pair of Griffon Hoverwork's 12000TD hovercraft, known as Solent Flyer and Island Flyer, which have been in operation since then. [3] [16]

In 2000, Griffon Hoverwork supplied the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a UK based charity dedicated to saving lives at sea, with its first hovercraft. [3] Two years later, the RNLI began operating a fleet of seven 470TD hovercraft, known as the H class.[ citation needed ] These are typically used for search and rescue over coastal terrain, including mud flats and quicksand. [3]

In 2008, a Griffon 380TD entered service with Avon Fire and Rescue Service. [17]

In 2010, a single 8000TD was bought for use at Singapore's Changi Airport. [12]

In 2022, three 12000TD Mark.2s were bought for use on the route between Oita Airport and Oita City, Japan.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hovercraft</span> Air cushion vehicle

A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces.

Cushioncraft Ltd was a British engineering company, formed in 1960 as a division of Britten-Norman Ltd to develop/build hovercraft. Originally based at Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight, Cushioncraft later moved to the Duver Works at St. Helens, these works gave ready access to the sheltered water of Bembridge Harbour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Hovercraft Corporation</span>

British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) was a British hovercraft manufacturer that designed and produced multiple types of vehicles for both commercial and civil purposes.

Hovertravel is a ferry company operating from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. It is the only passenger hovercraft company currently operating in the world since Hoverspeed stopped using its craft in favour of catamarans and subsequently ceased all ferry operations in 2005.

H-class lifeboat

H-class rescue hovercraft serve the shores of the United Kingdom as a part of the RNLI inshore fleet. A modified Type 470TD design built by Griffon Hoverwork, they were developed to operate in tidal areas such as Morecambe Bay, where strandings by incoming tides can have fatal consequences; and in waters too shallow for normal craft.

The Bland Group Ltd. is made up of a number of small and medium-sized operating companies based in Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Morocco.

Seaspeed was a British hovercraft operator which ran services in the Solent and English Channel between 1965 and 1981, when it merged with a rival to form Hoverspeed.

SR.N6 Model of hovercraft

The Saunders-Roe SR.N6 hovercraft was essentially a larger version of the earlier SR.N5 series. It incorporated several features that resulted in the type becoming one of the most produced and commercially successful hovercraft designs in the world.

British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 Medium-size hovercraft

The British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 is a medium-size hovercraft. In a civil configuration, the hovercraft can seat a maximum of 101 passengers, while as a troop carrier, it can transport up to 90 troops. When operated as a military logistics vehicle, the AP1-88 can carry a pair of Land Rovers, a Bv202 tracked vehicle and trailer unit or up to roughly 10 tons (10,000 kg) of cargo.

Griffon Hoverwork 2000TD Light-weight hovercraft

The Griffon 2000 series is a light-weight hovercraft built in the United Kingdom by Griffon Hoverwork and used principally by military and rescue organisations.

SR.N5 1964 hovercraft model by Saunders-Roe

The Saunders-Roe SR.N5 was a medium-sized hovercraft which first flew in 1964. It has the distinction of being the first production-built hovercraft in the world.

British Hovercraft Corporation BH.7

The British Hovercraft Corporation BH.7 was a medium size hovercraft. It was the first quantity-production hovercraft to be specifically developed for military applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ship-to-Shore Connector</span> Air-cushioned landing craft

The Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), also known as the LCAC 100 class, is a system proposed by the United States Navy as a replacement for the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC). It will offer an increased capacity to cope with the growing weight of equipment used by the United States Army and Marine Corps. As of 2015, the program is forecast to cost a total of US$4.054B for 73 hovercraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoverwork BHT130</span> Large hovercraft

The Griffon Hoverwork BHT130 is a large hovercraft, designed by Hoverwork and fitted out in St Helens. The type was found to be too large for the cross-Solent route and was withdrawn after 4 years in service (2007-2011), although other BHT variants are found currently in service around the world in various commercial and civil roles and designated as BHT 130 / 150 / 180.

CCGS Penac was a Canadian Coast Guard AP1-88/100 air cushioned vehicle (ACV) or hovercraft and was based at CCG Hovercraft Base Richmond, British Columbia. The primary missions of Penac was search and rescue off the British Columbia Coast. The vessel was initially constructed in 1984 by the British Hovercraft Corporation for use as a passenger vessel in Copenhagen, Denmark as Lommen with Scandinavian Airlines and renamed Liv Viking just before the service began. Sold in 1997 after a bridge eliminated the vessel's need, the hovercraft was sold to Hovertravel for service on the Solent. However, the ACV never entered service and was acquired by the Canadian Coast Guard in 2004. Renamed Penac, the hovercraft remained in service until 2017.

CCGS Mamilossa is a Canadian Coast Guard Hoverwork AP1-88/400 Air Cushioned Vehicle or hovercraft based at CCG Hovercraft Base Trois-Rivières, QC. The hovercraft was their first built in the UK, the CCGS Sipu Muin and CCGS Siyay were built under license by Hike Metal Products of Wheatley, Ontario, Canada. She is the largest hovercraft exported by British shipbuilders.

Griffon Hoverwork 8000TD

Griffon/GRSE 8000 TD class is a series of hovercraft designed by Griffon Hovercraft Ltd, Southampton, England. It has proven to be one of Griffon's most commercially successful hovercraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LCAC(L)</span>

The Landing Craft Air Cushion (Light), or LCAC(L), is a small amphibious hovercraft able to transverse both land and water. Like all amphibious landing craft in the Royal Navy, they are operated by the Royal Marines to transport troops or equipment from ship to shore during an amphibious landing.

CCGS <i>Moytel</i>

CCGS Moytel is a Canadian Coast Guard air cushioned vehicle or hovercraft and is based at CCG Hovercraft Base Richmond, British Columbia, on Sea Island. The primary mission of Moytel is to provide search and rescue services for British Columbia.

References

Citations

  1. "Griffon Hoverwork Ltd (U.K.) - Company Overview." Archived 6 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine Bland Group, Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Profiles: Griffon Hoverwork". Land Sea & Air. August 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Our Heritage". Griffon Hoverwork. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Suppliers." Archived 27 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine Armed Forces-International, Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  5. "Hovercraft company buys skirt supplier". Southern Daily Echo. 19 April 2010.
  6. "Griffon Hoverwork Network". Griffon Hoverwork. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  7. "Paramount to distribute Griffon Hoverwork hovercraft". DefenceWeb. 16 September 2015.
  8. "Technology". Griffon Hoverwork. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  9. "Navies Turn to a Floating Force." naval-technology.com , Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  10. "The Swedish Coastguard orders a new Griffon 2400TD." Archived 24 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine Bland Group, Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  11. "Profiles: Griffon Hoverwork". landseaairmagazine.com. 6 December 2010.
  12. 1 2 "India completes 8000TD hovercraft acquisition programme". janes.com. 6 October 2014.
  13. "Marinette Marine to build ship-to-shore connector". 15 September 2010.
  14. Barton, David J. (9 July 2012). "Textron Wins $213M Ship-to-Shore Connector Contract". GovConWire.
  15. Gardner, Frank (8 May 2014). "British combat hovercraft 'a game changer' in Colombia". BBC News . Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  16. Beanland, Christopher (16 March 2016). "Cross-Channel hovercraft's 50th birthday". The Independent .
  17. "Avon Fire and Rescue." Griffon Hovercraft, Archived 2 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine

Bibliography

  • Saunders, Stephen. Jane's Fighting Ships 20032004. Janes' Information Group, 2003. ISBN   0-7106-2546-4.

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