Metal Shark builds PBs for Vietnam

JEANERETTE, La. - Six 45-foot Defiant military patrol boats, built by Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark, were delivered May 24 to the Vietnam Coast Guard. The welded-aluminum vessels were officially handed over in Quang Nam Province by U.S Ambassador Ted Osius. “Metal Shark was honored to be selected for this historic opportunity to provide state-of-the-art American-made defense articles to Vietnam,” said Henry Irizarry, Metal Shark’s VP of international business development. The boats, built at Metal Shark’s Franklin, La., waterfront shipyard complex, are powered with twin Cat C-9 diesel engines mated to Hamilton water jets. Metal Shark’s Defiant-class design has been extensively proven among military operators, with parent craft vessels in service with the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and partner-nations. (Source: Metal Shark 05/24/17)