RIBCRAFT wins contract to supply U.S. Navy 11-meter RIBs

Order is for expeditionary 11 meter rigid Inflatable boats (RIBs)

Marblehead, Mass., based RIBCRAFT has been awarded a five-year indefinite quantity U.S. Navy contract to provide 11-meter Expeditionary Mine Counter Measure RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats).

The 11-meter RIBs will support explosive ordinance disposal mine countermeasure platoons in both shallow and deep water operations.

To achieve this, RIBCRAFT will build two configurations for mine countermeasure 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 Hamilton Jet 292 water jets, and Shockwave shock mitigating seating for improved crew comfort in all conditions.

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 U.S. Navy ship classes.

RIBCRAFT has been providing the U.S. Navy with 7-meter shipboard RIBs since 2014.

“The awarding of this latest contract is testament to RIBCRAFT’s exceptional design and production capabilities. We’ve enjoyed a long and collaborative relationship with the Navy,” said P. Brian Gray, president and chief executive officer of RIBCRAFT. “We have a proven track record of meeting the needs of the Navy with exceptional product and service.”