Coast Guard unveils new security boat.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe
• Position: Homeland Defense Briefs - Brief Article

The Coast Guard recently debuted its new RB-S small response boat, a souped-up craft designed for more aggressive homeland security missions.

The 25-foot boat can be operated with as few as two crewmembers and can reach speeds of more than 45 knots. The RB-S offers a cruising range of 150 nautical miles at 35 knots. The new boats are assigned to the Coast Guard's maritime safety and security teams.

The Department of Homeland Security's acquisition of up to 700 response boats makes it one of the largest boat buys of its type in the world. The RB-S was developed as a replacement for an unstandardized fleet of approximately 300 shore-based boats, but the...