Serna Class (Project 11770 Class) Russian Air-Cavity Fast Landing Craft

The Serna class, or Project 11770, is a class of air cavity system landing craft constructed for the Russian Navy. Twelve boats were built between 1994 and 2014. The fast landing craft Project 11770 main task is to quickly get to the shore, to land troopers, and just as quickly go away to a safe distance, for example, for a new "load" in the form of armored vehicles and soldiers. The high-speed air cavity patrol boat "Serna" is designed for transportation and debarkation on an unequipped shore of wheel and caterpillar technical equipment. The Project 11770E Serna air-cavity fast landing craft in wartime is designed for the over-the-beach landing of combat and military tracked and wheeled vehicles, as well as forward assault units. In peacetime, the boat can be used to deliver equipment, cargo, and troops to the points of the seacoast to a distance of 600 miles. The feature of the Serna landing craft is that an air cavity, an artificial air gap with overpressure, is created under its bottom as it moves. The cavity isolates a large portion of the hull from contact with water, thus achieving a significant reduction in resistance and providing a speed of 30 knots, as well as reduced fuel consumption.