The US is providing Ukraine with 23 welded-aluminum, Metal Shark military vessels amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
The delivery will help Kyiv protect its coastline, waterways, and ports from the Russian Navy.
According to Metal Shark, the first batch of six maritime combat vessels to be sent under a $450-million security assistance package was announced last week.
The company will produce 17 additional vessels for Ukraine, including 10 Defiant pilothouse patrol vessels, four Defiant center console patrol vessels, and three Fearless military interceptor vessels.
The 23 “combat-proven” military vessels have reportedly been optimized to support Ukrainian Navy missions.
‘Arriving When Most Needed’
Metal Shark remarked that the military vessels to be delivered to Ukraine are part of a long-range foreign policy strategy.
However, the recent invasion of Ukraine and the call to supply more equipment to Kyiv have fueled the company to speed up the production phase.
“Metal Shark has been working closely with the US Embassy in Kiev since 2019 to develop the strategy now being implemented to support Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, so it is fulfilling to see that the vessels will arrive when they are most needed,” Metal Shark Vice President Henry Irizarry said.
He further stated that the company is always ready to support warfighters with “game-changing lethality” delivered “anywhere in the world, whenever needed.”