The Philippine Coast Guard formally took delivery of four high-speed response boats (HSRBs) in a series in a ceremony in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, August 27.
Built by Dynacast Shipbuilding and Repairs based in Cebu province, the new boats have been given the official designations HSRB-023, HSRB-024, HSRB-027, and HSRB-028. Duties will include patrol, interception, and search and rescue (SAR).
The boats can reach speeds of up to 40 knots. Each vessel's electronics suite includes a Raymarine radar and a rotating thermal camera to permit operations even at night or in adverse weather.
Each HSRB is crewed by 12 personnel and also features space for medical equipment. Weapons mounts are available for a 12.7mm machine gun at the bow and two 7.62mm machine guns near the stern.
Dynacast is building a total of 40 HSRBs for the coast guard in fulfilment of a contract valued at approximately PHP1 billion (US$18 million).
