Abstract: An amphibious vehicle having a smart marine throttle which, when enabled, will control the power to right and left propulsors. The vehicle will then be able to automatically follow a course to a predetermined destination while overcoming the effect of wind, water current and wave action. The invention also includes a method for autopiloting a marine vessel.

Abstract: A gunner protection system for positioning armored panels around a hatch opening and a mounted weapon or equipment system. The armored panels are arranged to create an armored envelope surrounding the vehicle hatch and defining an opening through which the weapon or equipment system can be operated. The armored panels can be individually raised to define a portion of the armored envelope or lowered to change the geometry of the armored envelope or opening according to the particular weapon or equipment system. Similarly, all of the armored panels can be lowered to collapse the armorer envelope to allow for efficient transport of the vehicle with the gunner protection system attached to the vehicle.

Abstract: A trim vane assembly for amphibious armored vehicles and having a trim vane movable along a generally horizontal path between a deployed position in which the trim vane extends rearward from the vehicle and a stowed position in which the trim vane is positioned beneath the amphibious vehicle. In the retracted position, the trim vane movable is flush against or received within the vehicle bottom such that the trim vane supplements the belly armor. Similarly, the trim vane extends from or overlaps with the bottom of the vehicle when extended into the deployed position to provide continuous bottom face of the vehicle extending from the front of the vehicle to the end of the trim vane. Conventional trim vanes are rotated between a vertical orientation against the rear of the vehicle and a horizontal position extending from the rear of the vehicle reducing viscous drag.

Abstract: A split hatch with armored hatch leaves that are positioned to shield occupants standings in the hatch opening when the hatch is opened. The hatch leaves can be fixed at different angles to provide improve protection from different threats. The armored hatch leafs are oversized to engage the hatch opening in an overlapping configuration to prevent passage of nuclear, biological or chemical contaminants from entering the vehicle between the leaves and the edge of the hatch opening. A seal assembly overlaps the edges of the leaves to prevent contaminants from entering the vehicle between the leaves themselves.