Page 30: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2024)

US NAVY with submerged objects or grounding can be a tolerable event ered, or stranded people to be saved, represents a critical haz- because the intake is ? ush with the bottom of the craft and ard, because the blades of a surface propellers would behave the drive system has just a limited further draft. This allows a just like a food-processor.” water-jet craft to cross very shallow waterways without great risks. However, running in shallow waters with the presence Weapons of sandy bottom (or in presence of small objects like plas- Boats and combat craft have been equipped with small arms tic bags, nets, branches of trees, sea weeds, etc.) can easily to crew remote-controlled guns and even missiles, such as Ra- cause an impeller stoppage, for it operates like a giant vacuum fael Spike, Grif? n, NLOS and Hell? re Longbow.

cleaner, sucking is nearly everything it can.” Speed and ? repower have become valuable attributes for

In case of boats equipped with surface-piercing propellers, naval boats. But, according to John Kaman, a retired Navy

Annati said collisions or groundings represent a very serious captain and naval engineer with expertise in combat craft, “If risk of damage. “Also, the presence of swimmers in water you’re going to go fast, then you need shock-absorbing seat- nearby the boat, be they combat divers to be deployed-recov- ing for the crew and stabilization for your gun.”

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michelle L. Turner/Released

The Navy operated riverine command boats (RCBs) in the Arabian Gulf as a multi-mission platform for maritime security operations, maritime infrastructure protection, and theater security cooperation efforts. The RCB is a variant of the Swedish Combat Boat 90. They were heavily armed for their size and augmented the 140-foot coastal patrol boats (PCs) based in Bahrain. The PCs have now been decommissioned and replaced by U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutters. The RCBs were replaced by the MK VI patrol boats, which have also since been withdrawn. 30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • June 2024

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