TSAMTO, February 2. Representatives of the authorities and the command of the Uruguayan Navy confirmed Infodefensa.com The interest of the Uruguayan navy in acquiring three Marine Protector class patrol boats, which were withdrawn from the US Coast Guard.
In addition, these sources have refuted the information previously published in a number of media outlets that the transfer of these boats has already been agreed. Negotiations on the supply of these boats to Uruguay are conducted at a high diplomatic level and at the moment the parties have significant differences on the issue of the cost of delivery. Uruguay is seeking to obtain the boats at minimal cost as a grant, while the United States has set the delivery price at a level similar to the sale of similar new boats. In this case, the only advantage of buying in the US is the ability to transfer boats relatively quickly, as opposed to having to wait for them to be built.
The Marine Protector class boats have long been the backbone of the U.S. Coast Guard patrol force. A total of 74 boats of the series were built to fulfill the tasks of the US Coast Guard. In 2020, their planned replacement with Sentinel-class boats began.
The length of the Marine Protector class boat built by Bollinger Shipyards is 26.5 m (87 ft), the maximum width is 5.92 m, the displacement is 91 tons, and the crew is 10 people. It is powered by two MTU 8V 396 TE94 diesel engines and has a top speed of 25 knots and a cruising range of 900 nautical miles. Armament consists of two 12.7-mm machine guns.
