June 5, 2017 —
Coast Guard Station Philadelphia crewmembers conduct underway training on a 29-foot response boat-small II March 7, 2016, on the Delaware River near Philadelphia. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Nick Ameen.
The Coast Guard placed a delivery order worth approximately $6 million for 15 response boats-small II (RB-S IIs) and associated equipment with Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette, Louisiana, May 31.
The delivery order brings the total number of RB-S IIs ordered to 279; to date, 250 RB-S IIs have been delivered.
The 29-foot RB-S II can travel at a top speed of more than 40 knots and features improvements to reduce crew fatigue and improve visibility. The boats are a high-speed platform deployed close to shore for missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, port security, environmental response, and drug and migrant interdiction. RB-S IIs are gradually replacing the 25-foot Defender-class RB-Ss as they reach the end of their planned 10-year service lives.
For more information: Boat Acquisition Program page