Kenya Army to Acquire 5 -11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats
May 30 | Posted by David Goldman | Intelligence News, Military IntelligenceThe Kenya defense forces naval wing will acquire 5 11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, Strategic Intelligence has confirmed.
Kenya Defense forces naval wing to acquire customized special-operations military vessels from U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command to help the naval special operations force.
These boats are used by special operations units of the navy and are deployed from frigates and sophisticated warships.
US Intelligence sources have also confirmed that the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command is awarding a noncompetitive “sole-source contract to United States Marine Incorporated (USMI) of Gulfport, Miss to provide five (5) 11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats.
Analysis
Procurement of such boats is indicative of the existence of a special operations naval team in the Kenya Defense Forces. Deployment of the boats was popular in US Marine special operations some years back and in the world war-2 by British commandos attacking German coasts tasked to destroy coastal radar and military resources/installations.
According to US Intelligence, these boats are high-speed, high-buoyancy, extreme-weather craft with the primary mission of SEAL insertion/extraction.
The boats specifications are very unique. The 11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boat is a 36-ft. turbocharged vessels. It is designed to carry a crew of three in addition to one SEAL squad.
The 11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats is armed with an “M60 7.62mm machine gun, MK19 40mm, [and] M2 .50 cal. machine gun.
