February 18, 2010: Britain's Royal Navy is getting four new 2400TD class hovercraft to replace the 2000TD models they have been operating for over a decade. The new models have greater capacity, capability and reliability. The 2400TD class craft can carry sixteen marines, and their weapons, or 2.2 tons of cargo. The hovercraft can glide over water or land at up to 63 kilometers an hour, and will not set off mines. On internal fuel, the vehicle has a range of over 500 kilometers. The 2400TD model carries a 7.62mm machine-gun and has light weight armor, to provide protection from small arms fire and shell fragments. Each of the new hovercraft costs about $1.5 million.