Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (June 2021)

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Feature

Naval Vessels armament, including six MK 16 weapons foundations plus contribute to regional maritime security. a large forward foundation for stabilized, remote operated, The U.S. Southern Command facilitated the dona- optically guided MK 49 / MK 50 weapons systems.” tion through the Foreign Military Financing program of a

Metal Shark is also the contractor for the ongoing con- NCPV to the Dominican Republic, which commissioned struction of the 500-boat 29-foot Response Boat – Small the boat last year. Named Betelgeuse, the Dominican Navy (RB-S) contract for the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as the will employ their NCPV for maritime security and inter- 26’ High Speed Maneuverable Surface Target (HSMST) diction operations,” operations, including counter drug and 80-boat Force Protection Boat – Medium (FPB-M) traf? cking and other transnational crimes, as well as. search contract for the U.S. Navy. and rescue, border patrol, police and customs duties.

“The donation of the coastal patrol vessel Betelgeuse is

Foreign military sales part of a broader effort to develop a shared capacity with

The Navy also helps 45 allied partners across all the the Dominican Navy to carry out maritime security and combatant commands with boat and combatant craft pro- said U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Robin curements through Foreign Military Sales (FMS). Bernstein.

For example, Louisiana-based Metal Shark is building Stickles said a second NCPV was recently delivered and near coastal patrol vessels (NCPVs) for partner nations un- is scheduled to be of? cially handed over to the El Salvador der FMS. The company is building up to thirteen 85-foot Navy next month. “Another NCPV is currently in-water

De? ant-class welded aluminum NCPVs for the Domini- at our Franklin, Louisiana shipyard and is undergoing ? nal can Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guate- prep before it sails to Honduras. NCPV vessels four, ? ve mala, and possible other U.S. partner nations, which will and six are also currently in production,” Stickles said.

The 40 PB is aimed at replacing approximately 100 to 160 of the Navy’s 25-foot and 34-foot Coastal Riverine Force patrol boats over the next 15 years. The vessel’s hull form and propulsion system are designed to achieve 40-knot sprint speeds.

Metal Shark 26 | MN June 2021