TSAMTO, August 6. As part of the project to strengthen the mechanism for controlling rivers and protecting the population, the Command of the Colombian Navy has adopted two BRF-230 low-draft river boats built by COTECMAR.
As reported by Infodefensa.com the purpose of the supply of boats is to strengthen the capabilities of the Colombian Navy to control secondary waterways that are intensively used by armed organized criminal groups to transport drugs and other prohibited substances.
To counter this activity, the Colombian navy has created and equipped new units that will monitor, protect rivers and stop cases of drug trafficking and illegal migration.
The new boats are a development of vessels that were ordered by COTECMAR for the Colombian Navy last year as part of an agreement worth $ 1.737 million to support a project aimed at ensuring public order and internal security of the country.
The length of the BRF-230 boat made of aluminum alloy is 8.6 m, the width is 2.6 m, the load capacity is up to 400 kg. The boats are equipped with a Furuno-1623 radar, a Ritchie Supersport SS-1002 compass, and NIJ-III type ballistic protection.
The boats can be supplied with two different armament configurations: the first with two Browning M-2HB QCB 12.7 x 99 mm machine guns (on the bow and in the stern) and seven crew members, the second with a Browning M-2HB QCB 12.7 x 99 mm machine gun in the bow and two FN Herstal M-249 5.56 x 45 mm caliber on the port and starboard side and 8 crew members.
