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New type of narco-sub
Colombian Navy officials announced their forth Narcosub capture today. Like two so-called narcosubs captured earlier this year, it is in fact not a submarine. Nor is it a semi-submersible (as described in the press). It is actually a custom go-fast boat designed for speed. The boat was reportedly carrying 983 kg of cocaine.

Go to sipse.com article (in Spanish)

The giveaways are chined hull for high speed planing and forward facing air inlets close to the deck. If it was a regular Low Profile Vessel (often incorrectly called semi-subs, see Narco Subs 101) these inlets would ingest too much water as it washed over the deck. Therefore the inlets on Low Profile Vessels (LPVs) invariably face aft.
Hybrid hull Narcosub

Another feature which clearly points to it being designed for speed is the twin engines mounted near the stern. The cockpit is also well aft of center. And there is only one hatch, over the cockpit, suggesting that the comparatively ligt payload of narcotics is also carried towards the back of the boat. All this points to a back-heavy center of gravity designed to help lift the bow out of the water, reducing resistance and increasing speed.
Hybrid hull Narcosub

Overall the design is similar to two hybrid ‘narco-subs’ captured in May. These had outboard engines but were otherwise similar in hull-form and construction. This new design does however appear to be less likely to have any low-running potential thanks to the forward facing inlets - it is a true go-fast boat but constructed similarly to a LPV.
New type of Narco-sub

It is still too early to say that Low Profile Vessels (LPVs) which emphases stealth over speed have fallen out of favor. However the recent glut of custom ‘stealth’ go-fast boats suggests that either experienced cartels are trying new approaches, or that a new cartel has joined the game and is learning at its own pace.

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