US NAVY USING ON-BOARD FORKLIFTS FOR QUICK FIRING

Under the US Department of Defence's Small Business Innovation Research  program, Airtrax will develop a prototype omni-directional, multi-purpose mobility platform vehicle during the next two years, in a deal worth nearly US$1 million.

The US Navy hopes to increase the number of missions it can accomplish in a 24-hour period by speeding the process of delivering ammunition from ships' magazines to the flight deck.

The task usually involves navigating the long, unwieldy weapons through areas congested with personnel, material and aircraft, which the company says is the "natural environment" for forklifts and specialty transporters.

Airtrax executive vice-president Barney Harris said: "Navy ships are literally designed around the ability to move material within. Future naval ships designed around omni-directional vehicle technology will require less internal space, and will be more cost-effective."

Harris believes the applications of omni-directional vehicles will span further than aircraft carriers. He says naval resupply vessels, which suffer delays during the transfer of equipment, would also benefit.

Because gun ships and other naval vessels stop at sea for replenishment, omni-directional vehicle technology could also save lives, reducing the amount of time spent in the equipment transfer process.