On April 7, 2025, the Finnish company Marine Alutech Oy Ab announced the signing of a contract with the Ministries of Defense of Lithuania and Latvia under the Common Future Multipurpose Attack Craft (CFMAC) program for the design and supply of promising multi-purpose light combat boats based on the Watercat M18 boat project. This contract is the second step after the signing of the corresponding technical agreement in 2024 on research and development under the CFMAC program between Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. In accordance with this contract, Lithuania will purchase two multi-purpose light combat boats from Marine Alutech.
An image published by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense of a multi-purpose light combat boat of the Watercat M18 project from the Finnish company Marine Alutech Oy Ab, equipped with a Rafael Spike-NLOS missile launcher. The installation image is based on a snapshot of the lead amphibious assault boat U 701, the basic version of the Watercat M18 project (type Jehu) of the Finnish Navy.
On April 7, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense confirmed the conclusion of a contract worth 22 million euros with Marine Alutech for the purchase of two multi-purpose light combat boats for the Lithuanian Navy. The boats should be equipped with launchers of the Rafael Spike-NLOS missile system (with a range of up to 32 km) and a remotely controlled combat module with a 12.7mm machine gun. The Lithuanian press release is accompanied by an image of a Watercat M18 project boat with a Spike-NLOS missile launcher. It is stated that the boats being purchased "will help prevent threats from the Gulf of Finland to the Curonian Lagoon. Thanks to the special features of the design and propulsion system, the boats will be able to navigate in shallow water and quickly respond to various threats both on water and on land."
Although the CFMAC program contract was signed by Marine Alutech simultaneously with Lithuania and Latvia, however, the Latvian Ministry of Defense has not yet announced the purchase of these boats.
Previously, Marine Alutech, under a 2012 contract, supplied the Finnish Navy with 12 Watercat M18 Amphibious Craft (Armored Modular Craft) boats in the basic design of an amphibious assault boat, in the Finnish Navy they are designated as type Jehu (tail numbers U 701 to U 712).
The Watercat M18 AMP has a total displacement of 32 tons, a length of 19.9 meters, a width of 4.3 meters and a draft of 1.1 meters when fully loaded. The hull of the boat is made of aluminum alloy, and the superstructure is made of composite materials and has built-in ballistic protection and an anti-WMD protection system. The boat has a crew of six people and accommodates 25-26 paratroopers, placed in individual seats in the troop compartment. Conditions have been created on the boat for a long stay of the landing party, including the presence of a galley, a head, heating and air conditioning, food and fresh water supplies, as well as special places for the equipment, weapons and ammunition of the landing party.
The Watercat M18 AMC is powered by two 900 hp (660 kW) Scania DI16 077 diesel engines and is powered by two Rolls-Royce Kamewa 40A3 jet propulsion systems, reaching a maximum speed of over 40 knots and a long cruising range of up to 35 knots at full load, and a cruising range of 35 knots at 200 miles..
The standard armament of the Finnish Navy boats includes a remote-controlled Saab Trackfire combat module with a 12.7mm NSV machine gun or a 40 mm Heckler automatic grenade launcher. & Koch GMG, and a twin 7.62mm PKM machine gun. The boats also have two hand turrets for 12.7 mm NSV machine guns.
Amphibious assault boat U 702 of the basic version of the Watercat M18 project (type Jehu) of the Finnish Navy (c) Finnish Defense Forces
Projections of the amphibious assault boat project Watercat M18 AMC (c) Marine Alutech Oy Ab
