Feature 4 | COAST GUARD & PATROL BOATS
Swiftships patrol boats key to rebuilding Iraq’s fledgling fleet
Te Iraqi Navy is in the process of introducing into service a number of 35m coastal patrol boats (CPB) built by the American company Swiſtships. To-date, 12 patrol boats have been contracted by the US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)/Programme Executive Office (PEO) Ships on behalf of the Iraqi Navy.
T
he first nine boats were paid for by the US using Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funding.
Te September 2009 contract, valued at US$181 million, was modified in March 2011 to include another three boats to the tune of US$41.18 million. Tis contract modification includes options for another three vessels, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract modification to US83.48 million (this is expected to be taken up in due course once funding negotiations with the Iraqi’s have been completed). While the first boat, PB 301, was a
conversion of an existing platform, all of the others are new. The extensive conversion effort of PB 301 included modification of the superstructure to add an enclosed upper bridge with open bridge wings, and the deletion of Caterpillar engines and, it is believed, waterjets. PB 301 was ready for delivery by 15 May
2010. Aſter a work-up period in Louisiana for the Iraqi crew, the vessel was shipped to Iraq and subsequently commissioned into the Iraqi Navy on 26 September 2010 during Iraqi Navy Day celebrations at Umm Qasr. By 26 January 2011 three boats were
in service with the Iraqi Navy. At the time of writing, it was likely that six or seven boats were in Iraqi Navy service. The planned completion dates of the eighth and ninth boats were 30 June and 30 July, respectively. The 35m coastal patrol boat
is a
modification of an existing Swiftships design with an all-welded aluminium alloy superstructure and hull with seven watertight bulkheads
forming eight
watertight compartments. Vital spaces 36
Nasir – a 53.4m Fatah class patrol boat. Warship Technology July/August 2011
P-301 was the first of the new CPBs for the Iraqi Navy.
have ballistic protection with ceramic armour from Ceradyne Inc against small-arms fire.
Te new additions to the Iraqi fleet have
a significant level of automation. Sperry Marine is supplying a comprehensive
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