(JEANERETTE, La.) — The Dominican Navy has received its second 85-by-19.5-foot welded aluminum near coastal patrol vessel (NCPV), built by Louisiana-based Metal Shark.
Christened Arcturus CG-114 in keeping with the Dominican tradition of naming military vessels after constellations and celestial bodies, the new patrol craft was built at Metal Shark’s Franklin, La., shipyard and officially incorporated into the Dominican Navy during a ceremony at the Port of Sans Souci on Aug. 31.
The vessel was acquired by the Dominican Republic under a $54 million U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sales contract awarded to Metal Shark to produce up to 13 85-foot Defiant-class patrol craft for U.S. partner nations in support of regional defense initiatives. Arcturus CG-114 is the seventh NCPV to be delivered.
The NCPV is a monohull utilizing the parent-craft hull form of Damen Shipyards’ 2606 Standardized Patrol vessel, which has been significantly optimized by Metal Shark to suit the requirements of the NCPV mission.
Arcturus CG-114 will strengthen maritime surveillance and control of the Dominican Republic’s jurisdictional waters, expanding its response capacity to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing, and transnational organized crime, while also conducting search and rescue operations at sea.
Powered by twin 1,600-horsepower Caterpillar C-32 marine diesel engines turning fixed-pitch Michigan Wheel propellers through Twin Disc MGX-6599 transmissions, the NCPV achieves speeds in excess of 25 knots. The vessel has been designed for missions of up to six days at sea, supporting an operating crew of 10.
To maximize versatility, the NCPV carries an 18-foot Metal Shark-built aluminum RIB, powered by twin 50-horsepower Mercury four-stroke outboards. The RIB may be quickly deployed and recovered via an integrated stern slipway in support of missions.
– Metal Shark
