This paper investigates the influence that the end shape of an underwater vehicle plays on the generation of wave-induced vertical forces. We examine both theoretically and experimentally how the wave-induced vertical force on an underwater vehicle changes when hemispheric end caps are replaced with flat end faces. We consider vehicles with various lengths to identify if these changes are impacted by the end shape percentage of the total vehicle length. We also consider vehicles with forward speed to identify if these changes are impacted by viscous effects. The theoretical predictions are from an existing potential flow singularity solution while the experimental results were collected in a tow tank with wavemaking capability. The theoretical predictions of the flat end face increasing the vertical force were confirmed by the experimental results. However, the experimental results suggest that the change in the vertical force is not as severe as predicted by the theoretical solution nor does it depend on the end cap percentage. Finally, the percent increase in the vertical force is also independent of the forward speed of the model.
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