The U.S. Coast Guard placed a delivery order worth approximately $15 million for 39 response boats-small II and associated equipment with Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette, Louisiana, on July 14.
The service said the latest delivery order would bring the total number of RB-S IIs ordered to 263 and supported boat production and delivery through July 2017.
The 29-foot RB-S II is a high-speed platform deployed close to shore for missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, port security, environmental response, and drug and migrant interdiction.
The boats can travel at a top speed of more than 40 knots and feature improvements to reduce crew fatigue. The RB-S IIs are gradually replacing the 25-foot RB-Ss as they reach the end of their planned 10-year service lives.
To date, 204 RB-S IIs have been delivered.