Ribcraft, Marblehead, Mass., a manufacturer of rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for law enforcement, safety professionals, and military agencies, has been awarded a five-year indefinite quantity contract by the Navy to provide the 11-meter RIBs.
Under the contract, Ribcraft will build and deliver the expeditionary mine counter measure boat. The boatbuilder has also been providing the Navy with 7-meter (23') shipboard RIBs since 2014.
The new RIBs will serve to support explosive ordinance disposal mine counter measure platoons in both shallow and deepwater operations. To achieve this, Ribcraft will build two configurations for mine counter measure operations; one with an open aft deck for stowage and deployment of two combat rubber raiding craft and the other featuring a launch, recover, and handling system for deployment and retrieval of an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) which will have the capability to launch, recover and handle two UUVs using a single davit.
Each vessel, with an overall length of 39', will be equipped with twin Cummins QSB-6.7 473-hp diesel engines, twin HamiltonJet 292 waterjets, and Shockwave shock mitigating seating for improved crew comfort in all conditions.
"We’ve enjoyed a long and collaborative relationship with the Navy,” P. Brian Gray, president and CEO of Ribcraft, said in a statement announcing the contract. “We have a proven track record of meeting the needs of the Navy with exceptional product and service”.
A critical operational requirement for these boats is that they must be transportable around the world by land, air or sea and be able to be readily deployed from a variety of Navy ship classes.
“We’re committed to building boats that will perform in the worst of conditions while keeping our dedicated service men and women safe during their missions around the world,” said Gray.
Ribcraft is a manufacturer of professional grade RIBs and inflatables for safety professionals, military agencies, yacht clubs, and recreational boaters throughout the world, offering vessels starting at 15', capable of fulfilling most any mission.
