Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (March 2006)

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recover two RIBs, the 25-ft. SRP and a larger RIB called the Long Range Inter- ceptor (LRI), a 35 ft. long boat.

Since the cutters will have only one stern slot to deploy and recover the RIBs, a system is being engineered on the main aft deck whereby a crane will lift the best

RIB for the mission to the stern launch.

The LRI will have an enclosed coxswain station and twin waterjets for propulsion. The LRI will also have over the horizon capability with SATCOM and

GPS.

The LRI is designed to travel at 45 knots with up to 14 people and 150 lbs. of cargo. Willard Marine, Anaheim, Calif. has the design contract for the LRI.

The first of the National Security Cut- ters is well under way at Northrop Grum- man Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss.

In total, the Coast Guard is planning to purchase 33 of the Long Range Intercep- tors and 91 of the smaller Short Range

Prosecutors.

The Coast Guard also has a number of 378-ft. Legacy cutters. These vessels use side launched RIBs via davits. Zodiac over-the-horizon RIBS (RHIB/MSB) are used on these vessels. "We also supply Navy Seals, Special

Forces and other military units with

RIBs," said Bob Beck, Coast Guard cus- tomer support manager. "Often these vessels are shipped on pal- lets and inflated at the site of entry into the water," Beck said.

One special deployment recently showed the value of RIBs. Beck and a crew of his instructors from the Zodiac

Maritime Academy deployed to New

Orleans immediately following Hurricane

Katrina. "In one truck we carried 20 inflatable

RIBs plus outboard motors and spare parts to New Orleans," Beck said. The group set up Camp Katrina in Algiers, directly across the Mississippi River from the devastation in New Orleans. "We did search and rescue, transporting dead bodies and a hundred other things these versatile RIBs can do," Beck report- ed. "We carried out these missions during the day and repaired any vessel that need- ed work at night.

These RIBs traveled over wrought iron fences, debris in the water and submerged cars, putting an end to those who thought

RIBs were not tough enough for these severe, even brutal conditions," Beck added. "We served basically as the maritime arm for the 82nd Airborne who did the "heavy lifting" as far as the missions were concerned. I will never forget traveling down Canal Street in a RIB," Beck con- cluded. 20 • MarineNews • March, 2006

USCG

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A pair of the Island Class patrol boats undergoing final outfitting at Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La. A total of eight of these vessels were upgraded to carry the SRP in a 13-ft. addition to the stern lengthening the vessels to 123 ft.

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