Milkor UAE, the Abu Dhabi-based defence manufacturer, has launched its first locally produced Inshore patrol vessel. The company with South African roots, established a local entity at the end of 2020 and has now succeeded in producing a 12m patrol vessel with a self-sustained endurance of up to five days out at sea with a top speed exceeding 50kts.
The vessel has been designed and produced in Abu Dhabi with the coordination of several local suppliers, making it a joint effort among commercial and defence entities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The company says establishing a robust local supply chain was integral to the vessel's continued success. “Our local supplier relationships ensure that we can deliver a quality product each time it is produced. It also means that our material and parts are readily available for rapid integration in and around the GCC region,” said Hafsah Terywall, Head of Operations at Milkor UAE.
Referred to as Milkor IPC by the company, the vessel was designed specifically for long- endurance patrol missions. They hope to showcase this capability at this year's IDEX/NAVDEX, where the vessel will be displayed and perform demonstrations throughout the exhibition.
The Milkor IPC's interior is geared to house a crew of four, with a full galley, head, and shower facilities. Apart from standard safety equipment installed, the vessel also includes eight automatic bilge pumps, two life rafts, and an automatic fire suppression system. The company says due to its extended range capability, crew comfort and safety were prioritised throughout the design and build of the vessel.
As an added feature to the vessel, the Milkor IPC has been integrated with unmanned technology, meaning that a remote ground control station can control the vessel via 4G, LOSCOM, or Satcom communication via the flip of a switch, giving its users ultimate flexibility in its mission operations. Users are able to control all functions on the boat remotely as if it were a manned vessel.
Milkor UAE says it aims to increase its product offering in both the manned and unmanned vessel space within the next year, with several vessels being conceptualised by its design and development team.