VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT LANDING CRAFT

A watercraft according to the present disclosure may include an outer hull that defines an interior or hull cavity, and a ballast system located within the hull cavity. The ballast system may include at least three ballast tanks longitudinally distributed along the hull cavity, and each of the tanks being configured to be independently operated enabling selective entrapment of ballast at three or more different longitudinal locations to enable an intentional shifting of the longitudinal center of gravity (LCG) of the watercraft relative to the design location of the LCG of the watercraft. The watercraft may include at least a forward, a center, and an aft ballast tank, and in some embodiments, additional tanks, in some cases in sponsons, may be included and/or one or more of the forward, center and aft tanks, may be further subdivided for additional active LCG control.