
The 40PB shows its speed in this photo and is armed with a .50cal M2 heavy machine gun at the bow, 7.62mm miniguns and acoustic devices amidships, and a M240B at the stern. The radar, electro-optical camera, and FLIR are visible on the short mast above the cabin. Metal Shark photo.
The US Naval Institute News Service reports,
The United States will send 40 armored riverine boats to Ukraine as part of the latest assistance package.
The riverine boats are part of a $400 million aid package announced Friday. It’s the second time the U.S. is sending riverine boats to Ukraine as part of ongoing assistance in response to the Russian invasion.
The type of boat was not identified. The last boats the US sent to Ukraine were 44 foot patrol boats built by Metal Shark. They are not armored but they can have armor panels installed.
Those patrol boats need the Flex Force ASP Stabilized Gun Mount for added lethality!
They certainly need more than we have seen on USN examples.
I have to wonder what these new armored patrol boats will be.
Do we even have that many armored patrol boats in inventory?
Will these be new build boats?
These are PATROL boats not meant for riverine ops. Their armor is minimal
This is cross posted from USNI News
IF the boat shown in the photo is in fact the type being provided, it is a USN variant of the CB-90. The USN bought some from Swedish builder Dockstavarvet AB which has since been bought by SAAB. And then had more built by SafeBoats in USA here. It is typed as an RCB. It was intended for troop assault but the USN modified it. There is some armor on it. Goto this link:
https://safeboats.com/gallery/#bwg5/33