MetalCraft Awarded $31 Million USCG Patrol Boat Contract
Boatbuilder MetalCraft Marine Inc. (MCM) announced it has been awarded a $31 million contract from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) as part of the Long-Range Interceptor (LRI) III program. This is the second contract MCM has received for the design and build of their 11-meter high-speed Interceptor patrol boat.
“Our previous Interceptor for the Coast Guard, the 11M LRI II, proved to be a very successful platform,” said MCM contracts manager Bob Clark. “The LRI II was the first design to successfully navigate the recovery bay at the transom of the Coast Guard’s flagship 418’ National Security Cutter (NSC) at up to 12 knots. The LRI can operate over the horizon from the mothership and can travel 236 nautical miles on any given mission on plane giving it a very wide swath to patrol after the mothership’s electronics have detected something suspicious.”
All equipment for the LRI must be dependable and durable to meet extreme environments as the boats routinely operate in sea state 5 (13’-17’) conditions at planing speeds. The boat has a closed or open cabin arrangement that allows for open operation in good weather conditions or fully closed in bad weather. Each port and starboard gunner has a 180-degree arc of fire.
Each vessel features twin Cummins 6.7L diesels that power two Kongsberg A29 waterjets to a 40-knot speed, Raymarine and FLIR advanced navigation system, Shockwave and Shox suspension seating, and David Clark Co. wired crew communications system to allow crews to maintain communication with the LRI or the MSC (Military Sealift Command) mothership for instructions via wireless to VHF (very high frequency) connectivity
The LRI also has a portable ballistic panel package by Safariland that is designed to be mounted to the boat’s forward/side sections in eight minutes for specific high-threat missions and it can protect a five-person crew from a 200° field of fire. The open cabin arrangement allows for crew to provide return fire over a 180-degree arc of fire on both port and starboard sides with good crew protection.
The LRI is produced in sizes from 7 to 20 meters (23’ to 65’) and has had great success with other military and police forces across North America and is used for several operations including drug interception, Search and Rescue, and crew transfer.
MCM is currently building another contract for the USCG for shipboard 7M Interceptors in addition to the LRI.