The U.S. Navy took delivery this past December of an experimental vessel that may herald a market-defining shift toward the use of advanced composites in military and commercial shipbuilding. Called Stiletto, the 80-ft-long (24-meter) boat has the sleek look of a spacecraft and an innovative hull design and is built entirely of epoxy and carbon fiber. It is the first time the Navy has commissioned a U.S.-made composites ship. If it passes sea trials early in 2006, Stiletto could create demand for more composites by the Navy and promote their use in the design of small and medium-sized commercial ships.