Mark VI patrol boat

The Mark VI is a new class of patrol boat entering service with the United States Navy.

History
The Mark VI patrol boat is built by SAFE Boats International and is the first patrol boat delivered to the U.S. Navy since the 1980s. It represents a shift in Navy focus from Cold War-era blue water engagements to placing importance on brown water littoral zone operations. Designed to replace the Mark V Special Operations Craft and other legacy craft, the Mark VI is larger, more survivable, and better equipped with modernized weapons, communications, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. The craft can perform missions including patrolling shallow areas, search-and-seizure operations, escort high-value shipping and fleet units in foreign ports, and support special operations forces. Safe Boats delivered the first 10 Mark VI craft to the Navy in August 2014, which are expected to deploy operationally in spring 2015; the U.S. Navy may purchase up to 48 Mark VI boats. Potential customers from the Middle East and Central and South America have also made inquiries about the vessel.

Design
The Mark VI is 85 ft long, significantly longer than previous classes of Navy patrol boats. It has a crew on 10 sailors and can carry 8 additional personnel. The interior is spacious, with berthing for the crew and shock-absorbing seats of other occupants; the seats and sound deadening berthing spaces and galley allow the crew to operate in high sea states in comfort. The boats are fully networked with a command, control, communication and computing, surveillance and intelligence (C4SI) suite for enhanced situational awareness, survivability, and multi-mission support, which includes flat screen monitors mounted throughout the ship, even at the seats for commandos. Payloads can be configured to fulfill missions ranging from mine hunting to defending against swarm boat attacks. Standard armament consists of two remote-controlled Mk 38 Mod 2 25 mm chain guns and six crewed M2 .50 caliber machine guns. Depending on mission needs, gun mounts can hold M240 machine guns, M134 miniguns, and Mk 19 grenade launchers. It is also planned to mount guided missiles like the BGM-176B Griffin. Armor plating to withstand small-arms fire is around key elements such as the engines and fuel tank. The aluminum-hulled Mark VI is powered by two diesel engines connected to water jets that propel it faster than 35 knot, with a maximum range of 600 nmi. The reconfigurable main aft cabin can hold payloads like Navy SEAL operators or a medical facility. The rear deck and stern is able to launch and recover small boats, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs). Mark VI boats are able to be transported and deployed by larger Navy ships like landing helicopter docks, amphibious transport docks, and landing ship docks to be able to carry and deploy them anywhere in the world. Each Mark VI costs $15 million.