T Craft-class inshore patrol vessel
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | T Craft class inshore patrol vessel |
| Operators: |
|
| Completed: | 6 |
| Active: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Patrol boat |
| Displacement: | 36 tons |
| Length: | 22 m (72.2 ft) |
| Beam: | 7 m (23.0 ft) |
| Draught: | 0.9 m (3.0 ft) |
| Installed power: | 2,000 hp (1,5 MW) |
| Propulsion: | 2 ADE 444 Tl 12V diesels; 2 Hamilton water-jets |
| Speed: | 32 kn (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
| Range: | 530 nmi (980 km; 610 mi) at 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
| Capacity: | 16 (1 officer) |
| Sensors and processing systems: | Surface search radar : Racal-Decca I-band |
| Armament: | 1 × 12.7 mm MG |
The T Craft-class inshore patrol vessels are a class of patrol boat currently in service with the South African Navy.
History
Three vessels were ordered in mid-1991, and they were built by T Craft International, Cape Town. The first vessel was commissioned into the South African Navy as SAS Tobie (P1552) in June 1992. The second vessel was commissioned as SAS Tern (P1553) in June 1996 and the third as SAS Tekwane (P1554) in December 1996. Three vessels of this type were also built for Israel in 1997.[1]
Design
These boats are twin hulled catamarans of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) sandwich construction, capable of carrying up to 16 personnel (including one officer). Each vessel possesses a Racal-Decca I-band surface search radar unit and a single 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The boats are propelled by two ADE 444 Tl 12V diesel engines (2,000hp) as well as two Hamilton water-jets.
Each boat is designed to carry a small seaborne complement of commandos as well as a rigid-hulled inflatable boat in the stern well in order to board other vessels at sea.[2]
References
- ↑ Engelbrecht, Leon. "Fact file: T-class Inshore Patrol Vessel". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
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