The spec ops community is pinging industry for ideas on a new Combatant Craft Medium Mk-1that is intended to replace the ageing NSW Rigid Hull Inflatable boat made famous by zooming frogmen and riverine units.
Defense Tech is checking into the background of this program since the presolicitation on FedBizOpps indicates the program had been cancelled and possibly rescoped this spring and summer. There's some chatter on other blogs that indicates there was an internal debate over hull-form, speed and size within the NacSpecWar community and that the piracy issue -- specifically who's job it is to counter it -- may have factored in as well.
But from the new documents on the program, it looks as if the current configuration of the CCM Mk-1 will have an objective range of 600 nm without reserve fuel, carry up to 19 pax with four crew, travel at around 50 knots and cost in the $4 million per boat and trailer range.
Whereas the RIB is C-130 transportable, the CCM Mk-1 will be transported in a C-17 with its FMTV "prime mover." The command plans to purchase 30 Mk-1s and supply eight boats per squadron, the documents show. SOCOM plans to start production of the Mk-1 in 2015.
-- Christian
