Maritime Security Vessel News Roundup | March 31 – A Bulgarian police boat, US Navy support ships, and future surface combatants for Singapore

Bulgaria’s border police will soon welcome a new patrol boat to its fleet while construction continues on two auxiliary ships for the US Navy. Singapore’s defence ministry meanwhile selects a local shipyard to supply six new surface combat vessels in a series.

Future Bulgarian border police boat completes sea trials

Estonian builder Baltic Workboats has completed the final series of sea trials of a new patrol boat ordered by the Bulgarian Border Police.

The 45-metre Balchik is now undergoing final preparations prior to delivery to its new owner.

Once in service, the vessel will also be operated in cooperation with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

US Navy’s newest Spearhead-class fast transport hits the water

Austal USA recently floated out the US Navy’s newest Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF).

The future USNS Cody is the fourteenth in the Spearhead-class as well as the first US Navy vessel to be named in honour of the city of Cody, Wyoming.

The vessel is a Flight II variant of the Spearhead-class transports. The main distinguishing attributes of the Flight II EPFs will be their enhanced medical capabilities, which will enable them to operate as high-speed vessels to complement the navy’s larger hospital ships.

Construction begins on US Navy fleet oiler Sojourner Truth

General Dynamics NASSCO has begun construction of the sixth John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler for the US Navy.

The future USNS Sojourner Truth honours Sojourner Truth, an African-American former slave and human rights activist.

Like its John Lewis-class sisters, the future Sojourner Truth is designed to transfer fuel to US Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea and has the capacity to carry 157,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, and aviation capability up to a speed of 20 knots.

Republic of Singapore Navy taps local firm for warship construction

Singapore-based ST Engineering, through subsidiary ST Engineering Marine, has been awarded a contract by the country’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for the detailed design and construction of six multi-role combat vessels (MRCVs) for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

ST Engineering will be responsible for the procurement and integration of the platform equipment and MINDEF-furnished equipment. Its scope of work will also include the undertaking of design and the provision of logistics support to maintain operational readiness during the lifespan of the MRCVs.

Each MRCV is designed to function as a mothership and can operate a range of manned and unmanned systems.

The six vessels are scheduled to be delivered to the RSN beginning in 2028.