Ukraine to upgrade Island-class patrol boats - Ukroboronprom

The State Research and Design Shipbuilding Center, part of the Ukroboronprom State Concern, has started developing a scenario to upgrade Island-class patrol boats that were transferred from the United States to the Ukrainian Navy last September, the concern's press service has reported.

"The modernization of the boats will be aimed at maximizing their combat effectiveness. Currently, the company has already received the necessary technical documentation for the boats, which helps perform the upgrade using all the capabilities of Island-class [boats]," the report reads.

According to Vadym Borysov, chief designer at the State Research and Design Shipbuilding Center, proposals are being prepared for the command of the Ukrainian Navy.

"In our opinion, the project should provide that the modernization of Island-class boats will be performed at Mykolaiv Shipyard," the concern's press service quoted Borysov as saying.

According to the report, the final version of the upgrade will be adopted after the Ukrainian Navy gets extensive practical experience of using such patrol boats.

The press also recalled that Island-class boats are high-speed patrol boats of the United States Coast Guard intended for patrol and search and rescue operations in coastal waters. The United States transferred two such boats to the Ukrainian Navy in September 2018.

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