US Navy RIB order

Metal Shark will produce the boats in a flexible baseline configuration that can be rapidly adapted via minor post-delivery alterations and delivered to support specific FMS case requirements worldwide The boats will support a range of missions including personnel/cargo transfer, search and rescue, open water patrol, vessel interdiction and boarding, and insertion/extraction of forces.

This is the latest in a series of sizeable military fleet contracts landed by Metal Shark. Among its active programs, the company is currently producing the US Navy’s Force Protection Boat – Medium (FPB-M) and High Speed Maneuverable Surface Target Boat (HSMST), as well as the U.S. Coast Guard’s Response Boat – Small (RBS). In addition, Metal Shark routinely builds vessels for FMS cases, state and local law enforcement agencies, pilot associations, port operators, and numerous other commercial interests.

In addition to the full range of Metal Shark designs, customers may also choose from the full portfolio of Damen aluminum and steel hulled products, right up to 250ft military patrol boats, built by Metal Shark’s skilled craftsmen and supported by Damen’s global network of shipyards.

“Metal Shark is proud to count the US Navy among its top customers, and with the award of this newest contract, we look forward to continuing and strengthening this relationship for years to come,” said Metal Shark president Chris Allard. “Large orders such as this one benefit Metal Shark customers large and small by way of increased production efficiencies and economies of scale that keep our pricing competitive, our workforce stable, and our technology on the leading edge.”

Visit Metal Shark on stand MS3 in Hall B at Seawork International 2015.

By Jake Frith