New Zealand multi-millionaire Alan Gibbs has signed a deal with Lockheed Martin to develop high speed amphibious military vehicles.
Gibbs Technologies, which developed the Aquada as a solution to city traffic congestion with the consumer market in mind, is working on three "concept vehicles" for military use.
Theamphibians can transition from water to land and vice versa in five seconds.
The vehicles under development are a 20-foot (6.09m) vehicle capable of up to 129kph on land and 72kph on water; a 35-foot amphibian capable of 107 kph on land and 65kph on water: and a "Terraquad" capable of 80kph on land and 89kph on water.
"Until now, our Navy and Special Forces have taken on great risk with sea-to-shore insertions, largely due to a transition period that can last an hour or more in vulnerable areas," said Lockheed Martin's vice-president for Mission Systems, Rich Lockwood.
"The High Speed Amphibian removes that risk, allowing forces to move more safely and faster -- and with capabilities that make it a power asset in a net-enabled force," he said.
The vehicles would be able to accommodate a range of weapon systems.
