The CHARC is designed to provide a lethal response for some of the emerging littoral threats facing large Navy vessels including suicide speedboats packed with explosives, small high-speed boat "swarm attacks" and diesel-electric submarines. With similar offensive capabilities to that of an AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter crammed onto a high-speed surface platform, the CHARC is small, fast and stealthy and can attack on a moment's notice using an array of Hellfire missiles, 20-millimeter guns, 40-millimeter grenade launchers and torpedoes. Like the AH-1W Super Cobra, a crew of two control the craft from a forward cockpit.
Like its namesake (the CHARC is pronounced "shark"), it has plenty of bite, being armed to the teeth.
Accordingly, it is able to loiter, patrol and attack in shallow littoral waters and it has the ability to sit low in the water for long periods and then "pop-up and dash" to suspected threats when speed is needed with a top speed of 60 knots.
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