Silver Ships, Theodore, Ala., has completed the construction and delivery of the
The vessels were designed and constructed as a part of the U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sale (FMS) program and will benefit the NATO Navy, while the other three boats support a Central American Navy upon delivery. Each CFRB was inspected in Alabama and accepted by the Navy.
The seven custom-designed military CRFBs feature specialized communication and navigation equipment. These 46', deep-V hull vessels feature a cabin and WING collar system.
Main propulsion comes from twin Caterpillar C7 500-hp inboard diesel engines hooked up to HamiltonJet HJX-29 waterjets. The waterjets enable the vessels to continuously operate in shallow and coastal areas where outboards would typically be less effective.
The CFRB will be used for coastal and harbor patrol and as law enforcement interceptor vessels. The CFRB series is versatile and can be tailored to specific mission needs.
The CFRB was developed in response to the U.S. Navy’s workboat program requirements. The large, fast cabin vessel amplifies the features of Silver Ships’ Endeavor and Ambar series vessels. As the design of this series evolved, Silver Ships’ leadership deemed it worthy of series implementation. Currently, Silver Ships has a CFRB fireboat variant in production.
“This is a special category of boat that incorporates some of the best features of our proven Endeavor (propulsion plant, hull form and push knees on bow) and Ambar (collar, cabin) designs. It is uniquely suited as a military, law enforcement, fire or dive platform with more endurance and a cuddy cabin that can support offshore missions of up to several days’ duration,” Shawn Lobree, Silver Ships director of Federal programs, said in a statement announcing the deliveries.
For more than 35 years Silver Ships has worked with the U.S. Military in creating mission-specific boats. The shipyard takes pride in its support of the U.S. Military and remains dedicated to meeting all operational needs while offering maximum crew safety and outstanding performance.
