Iraq Navy News

Building patrol boats is big business, especially for foreign defense needs. U.S. yards compete on a global stage in the all-important maritime security workboat arena. Patrol boats have continued to enhance bottom lines at many U.S. vessel builders this year through sales that are usually government directed or assisted. Budget cuts are a concern, but the sector’s federal funding remains high. Patrol boats are sold to other nations under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales or FMS program, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act to provide defense items.

Military appetite for powerful and agile smaller platforms heats up. The use of small craft by terrorist organizations and domestic terrorist cells is a worldwide threat as demonstrated by the bombing of the USNS COLE. The attack on Mumbai, India, in November of 2008, brought the danger to the forefront. Nations realized that to combat this asymmetrical small craft threat, a similar small craft defense – not replacing, but in parallel with traditional larger platforms – is required.

Military appetite for powerful and agile smaller platforms heats up. The use of small craft by terrorist organizations and domestic terrorist cells is a worldwide threat as demonstrated by the bombing of the USS COLE. The attack on Mumbai, India, in November of 2008, brought the danger to the forefront. Nations realized that to combat this asymmetrical small craft threat, a similar small craft defense – not replacing, but in parallel with traditional larger platforms – is required.

VSE Corporation's GLOBAL Division teamed with the U.S. Naval Sea Systems command December 1 at a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the official opening of the Iraqi Navy Ship Repair Facility (SRF) in Umm Qasr, Iraq. VSE helped develop the SRF, which now serves as the Iraqi Navy's maintenance headquarters. The SRF is one of the first fully operational facilities in Iraq as part of the post war infrastructure sustainment. The facility, which was procured as part of a larger Foreign Military Sales case with the Iraqi Navy, will support five different vessel classes. Assisting in the development and management of the facility includes VSE Iraq Team Leader Steve Bennett and VSE Iraq Team Program Manager Hal Jones. "We began work on the ship repair facility in 2010," said Jones.

Military Sealift Command-chartered heavy lift crane ship MV Ocean Titan delivered the second of a new class of U.S.-built patrol boats to Manama, Bahrain. The 115-ft boat is destined for Iraq, where it will be turned over to the Iraqi navy and used primarily to patrol coastal waters and provide security for the country's oil platforms. This is the second of an expected 15 identical vessels being built for and delivered to the Iraqi navy in support of U.S. and Iraqi efforts to reconstitute Iraq's ability to enforce its maritime sovereignty and security. The Iraqi navy acquired the boats as part of the U.S. Navy's Foreign Military Sales Program. "Our foreign partners rely on the U.S. Navy's expertise in combatant craft acquisition," said Rear Adm.

Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., is being awarded a $180,998,189 fixed-price letter contract for the detail design and construction of nine patrol boats and associated equipment and services for the Iraq Navy. This contract is in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Case IQ –P-SAZ and U.S. Case E4-P-LBT. The contract is for nine Swiftships model 35PB1208E-1455 patrol boats along with six 30mm gun weapons systems, machine gun mounts and cradles, spare parts, and contractor engineering technical services. Work will be performed in Morgan City, La., (60 percent), Detroit, Mich., (30 percent), Ocean Springs, Miss., (8 percent) and Charlottesville, Va., (2 percent) and is expected to be completed by August 2012.

Iraq's new navy plans to get 21 new boats over the next two years as it prepares to take over the security of offshore oil terminals, the main gateway for the country's petroleum exports, according to an AP report. The Iraqi navy has in operation 10 fast aluminum boats and two other boats in operation. A two-year equipment acquisition program will result in the purchase of 15 patrol boats, four corvettes and two offshore support vessels. The delivery of the first vessels is expected by 2008. (Source: Associated Press)