Kvichak at work on utility boat series

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc., Seattle, Wash., is currently constructing seven MPF/UB-40 utility boats for the United States Navy. The 40 ft high-speed landing craft are replacing the NavyÕs existing LCM-8 craft as part of the Improved Navy Lighterage System in support of pre-positioned Marine Amphibious assault missions.

Deliveries for the craft are scheduled from August 2008 to April 2009. Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Fla., will take delivery of the first three hulls for loading onto a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship and Assault Craft Unit One, San Diego, Calif., will receive the seventh boat of the contract.

The landing craft have a loaded cruise speed of around 25 knots and a lightened flank speed of around 40 knots. The propulsion package includes: twin Cummins QSM11 engines rated for 660 hp at 2300 rpm, ZF 325 marine gears, and Hamilton 364 water jets.

The craft are designed to carry 30 troops and their gear plus general cargo and have a house aft configuration. They features a power bow door and high-level engine suctions for beach deployment.

Additional craft features include:

6kW Northern Lights gen-set with shore power

Integrated Furuno Navnet electronics package

Ship board stowage cradle

Three weapon mounts for M2 / MK19 and M60E3 weapons

Manuals and spares packages

Preceding this seven-boat order, Kvichak delivered a run of four MPF / UB-40s to the USN. Prior to acceptance by the Navy a small team inspects the boats at their delivery points. The Post Delivery Inspection Report drafted by the Navy noted only one discrepancy among the four boats. Kvichak corrected it for approximately $125.

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