The U.S. Navy delivered the final 35-meter patrol boat (PB 312) to the Iraqi navy at the Umm Qasr naval facility July 5th, after successfully completing reactivation in Bahrain.
This is the last vessel in the current 12-ship procurement designed to help reconstitute Iraq’s ability to enforce maritime sovereignty and security in the Northern Persian Gulf.
“The team successfully delivered all 12 important assets to the Iraqi navy, supporting Iraq’s security requirements,” said Frank McCarthey, program manager for Support Ships, Boats and Craft.
The U.S. Navy and Swiftships Shipbuilders LLC, Morgan City, La., supported the Iraqi navy in the procurement and construction of the patrol boats. The boats are armed with a 30mm gun weapon system, provide for a crew of 25, and are capable of reaching 30 knots.
The Support Ships, Boats and Craft Program Office in the U.S Navy’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, is managing the acquisition of the patrol boats as a foreign military sales case. In addition, the program office delivered two 60-meter offshore support vessels to the Iraqi navy, Dec. 20.
PEO Ships manages the design and construction of all U.S. Navy destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, as well as a wide range of boats and craft for U.S. agencies and foreign military sales.
[mappress] Press Release, July 12, 2013; Image: bp