Metal Shark Illustration. RHIB pictured is 5.5 meters
NavyRecognition reports that Metal Shark has been awarded a contract
“…potentially worth upwards of $54 million, Metal Shark will build up to thirteen 85-foot Defiant-class welded aluminum cutters for the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and other United States partner nations. Additionally, Metal Shark will supply electro-optical infrared sensors, diagnostic equipment, in-country reactivation, crew familiarization, and test support to NCPV (Near Coastal Patrol Vessel–Chuck) operators.
That is only $4.154M/ boat. This looks an awful lot like a potential replacement for the Marine Protector class 87 foot WPBs, the first of which should be replaced in 2023. The Metal Shark boats are a version of Damen’s Stan Patrol 2606 design, so nominally 26 meters long and 6 meters of beam, but according to the Website, 87′ length overall with a beam of 19’6″. The Marine Protector Class were also a Damen 2600 series design, so the two classes share a great deal of DNA.
There is more information on the boats at the company website here. Unfortunately there appears to be no information on speed, range, or endurance. I would presume those characteristics would at least equal those of the Marine Protector class
Would not be surprised to see the Coast Guard personnel tasked with some training for the crews of these new patrol boats.
I would also note this is big boat, perhaps the biggest from Metal Shark. Which is obviously benefiting from its teaming arrangement with DAMEN.
Not much deck area which goes for FRC as well.
Looks like Navy is starting to realize value of commercial products
Latest contract modification. I presume this is for three more boats. https://www.marinelog.com/news/metal-shark-gets-12-8-million-mod-to-patrol-boat-contract/
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Delivery to Dominican Republic. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/08/dominican-navy-commissions-first-near-coastal-patrol-vessel/
Chuck, in the Coast Guard 2021 budget request 8 of the Marine Protector Cutters would be decommissioned, as their missions could be taken by new Sentinel Class Cutters. Do you think that the CG Leadership is thinking of replacing the 87′ with FRCs? I understand that the two classes perform some overlapping mission sets but both are build for primary different missions.
The rationale was that their missions are being taken, at least in some places, by newer assets with greater capabilities, specifically the Response Boat, Medium and the Webber class. I don’t think they see a complete replacement, but the fact that we are more likely to have a FRC underway offshore when there is a SAR call or that the RB-M can answer calls that the 47 footer could not and that would have gone to WPBs, makes this seem logical in at least some places. Don’t think I have seen where specifically they will be coming from.
Unfortunately the CG does not publish any kind of comprehensive long term plan for our cutter fleet. Is this a one time thing? or will we decommission them all without replacement? Does anyone really know?