Metal Shark Boats yesterday said the value of its award to supply the Coast Guard with a new fleet of Response Boat-Small (RB-S) vessels is worth up to $192 million over 10 years.
Metal Shark received a $13 million task order in late September to supply the service with its first 38 RB-S, beating competitor SAFE Boats International for the contract (Defense Daily, Oct. 3). The total value of the award was not disclosed at the time.
The award covers 470 28-foot RB-S for the Coast Guard, 20 for Customs and Border Protection and 10 for the Navy. The Coast Guard will use the vessels for port and waterways security, search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, environmental and other law enforcement missions.
Metal Shark, a subsidiary of Gravois Aluminum Boats, LLC, said it plans to expand its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Louisiana and increase its production team to better manage the increase in manufacturing requirements under the contract.
The RB-S is road transportable for service between missions and is also C-130 transportable.