Page 35: of Marine News Magazine (March 2012)

search and rescue, drug and coastal interdiction and environmental mis- sions,? said Dean Jones, Metal Shark's national sales manager. The contract is one of the largest of itskind for the USCG and is expectedto give an economic lift to coastal Louisiana.To fulfill the contract, Metal Shark is enlarging its facility in Jeanerette and expanding its team of aluminumwelders, rigging and electronics experts, and installation profession- als by 50 percent to 120 employees, Jones said. Based on Metal Shark's Defiant platform, the 28-foot RB-S is pow- ered by twin 225-horsepower Honda outboards for speeds exceeding 40 knots. The crew is protected by an enclosed cabin outfitted with ballis-tic materials. The RB-S has weapons racks and a weapons-ready mounting at the bow. The boat is road trans- portable between missions. KVICHAKMARINESUPPLIESUSCGANDNAVY Seattle-based Kvichak Marine Industries recently delivered the thir- tieth hull, under a five-year USCG contract signed in 2011, for con-struction of up to 80 aluminum Transportable Port Security Boats-- to be used for security and search and rescue operations. The company is now building another 20 vessels for delivery by July. The TPSBs, operated by a crew of four, include shock-mitigating seats to minimize crew fatigue, ballistic armor protection and up to four mounted weapons for tactical opera- tions. The 32? 9? x 8?6? vessels are powered by twin Yanmar 315 hp diesel engines with MerCruiser Bravo 1-XR outdrives, capable of a top speed of 45 knots. The TPSB can www.marinelink.com MN35MN#3 (32-49):MN 2011 Layouts 3/2/2012 10:19 AM Page 35