Morocco orders Damen vessels
Damen Shipyards will supply the Royal Moroccan Navy with five Interceptor 1503 vessels as part of an order announced on 14 December.
The Moroccan navy will deploy the vessels in support of counter-terrorism and counter-smuggling operations.
The Interceptor 1503 has been designed for fast operations, and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60kts.
The vessel is powered by three diesel engines, each driving a separate stern drive. Combined with a lightweight hull, constructed from fibre reinforced plastic in an epoxy resin matrix, the vessel is light, fast and highly manoeuvrable.
Delivery of the vessels to Morocco will begin in June 2016 followed by one vessel every six weeks.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Denmark commits to three new Arctic vessels in light of Trump’s Greenland comments
The vessels have been a necessity for years, but now Denmark is planning a stronger Arctic presence.
-
UK upgrades threat detection systems on its Royal Navy warships
The news of the upgrade comes just a week after UK Royal Navy (RN) vessels escorted a Russian spy ship out of the English Channel.
-
Was acquiring the Aiviq polar vessel the right choice for the US Coast Guard?
Previous structural and mechanical issues in the 20-plus year icebreaker might represent challenges for the service.