Older generation of Hovercraft suffered from various drawbacks:

• the corrosive aluminium structures were unreliable
• they are highly recognisable on radar screens
• they had noisy propellers
• complex designs meant extensive 'down time'´
• high maintenance bills
• poor payload to weight ratios, many failed to overcome hump 
• high fuel consumption
• limiting endurance
• high procurement costs.

By introducing Advanced Composites as key-innovation amongst other innovations and design characteristics ABS created a New Generation of Amphibious Hovercraft with unparalleled performance, endurance and operational costs much lower than of a Fast Patrol Boat of similar size: the ABS M10.