Amphibious deployment system and method

Abstract

A method includes: loading a vehicle onto a connector boat; loading the loaded connector boat onto the semi-submersible ship; transporting the semi-submersible ship having the loaded connector boat stored thereon to a location; taking water ballast onto the semi-submersible ship at the location; floating the loaded connector boat off of the semi-submersible ship; transporting the loaded connector boat to a second location; unloading the vehicle into water; and transporting the vehicle to a third location.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 loading a plurality of connector boats onto a semi-submersible ship;   transporting the semi-submersible ship having the plurality of loaded connector boats stored thereon to a first location;   taking water ballast onto the semi-submersible ship at the first location;   unloading at least a first and a second loaded connector boats off of the semi-submersible ship at the first location, wherein the first and second loaded connector boats are capable of being unloaded substantially simultaneously; and   transporting each of said first and second loaded connector boats to least one location different from the first location.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of connector boats is loaded with at least one vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the at least one vehicle is an amphibious vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the amphibious vehicle is unloaded from the connector boat at the location different from the first location. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of connector boats loaded onto a semi-submersible ship, the semi-submersible ship having the plurality of loaded connector boats stored thereon moving to a first location;   wherein water ballast is taken onto the semi-submersible ship at the first location;   wherein at least a first and a second loaded connector boats are unloaded off of the semi-submersible ship at the first location, the first and second loaded connector boats being capable of being unloaded substantially simultaneously; and   wherein each of said first and second loaded connector boats then move to least one location different from the first location.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of connector boats is loaded with at least one vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the at least one vehicle is an amphibious vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the amphibious vehicle is unloaded from the connector boat at the location different from the first location.