041110-N-4385W-005 Freeland, Wash. (Nov 10, 2004) - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Vern Clark, tours the Nichols Brothers shipyard where the Navy's "X-Craft" is currently under construction. The X-Craft transformational program is a high-speed, aluminum catamaran consisting of an advanced hull geometry, designed to give the craft speeds of 50 knots or more. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has initial plans to conduct hydrodynamic experimentation as a test bed for Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HME) concepts for the Navy's new class of warship, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael D. Winter (RELEASED)
