The US Department of State has approved a possible sale of two 35-meter fast patrol boats to Bahrain and the was notified of the sale on Friday.
Bahrain is looking to buy two fast patrol boats equipped with one MK38 Mod 3 25mm gun and one SeaFLIR 380 HD Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) device.
Other requested sales include communication equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training and other related elements of logistics and program support. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the total estimated cost is $60.25 million.
The patrol boats would be built by SwiftShips, while BAE Systems would be responsible for the construction of the MK38 Mod 3 25mm Gun Weapon System. Flir Systems would be delivering their SeaFlir Model 380 HD Forward Looking Infra-Red Device.
According to SwiftShips specifications, the fast patrol boats are capable of “surviving” in sea state 6 at the best heading and fully operational at sea state 4. They have berthing for 16 personnel and a range of 1,800 nautical miles at 12 knots. The company says the boats are capable of reaching speeds of over 40 knots.