Earlier this month, the U.S. pledged more than $1.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Included in that support package were, among other things, two Harpoon coastal defense systems. Some of that assistance is aimed at helping the Ukrainian military better defend their coast and waterways. On Thursday, the U.S. promised $450 million in security assistance through presidential drawdown authority — the 13th such outlay this year. Included in that package were 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats. Included in the package announced Thursday are two 35-foot, small-unit riverine craft; six 40-foot maritime combat craft; and ten 34-foot, Dauntless Sea Ark patrol boats.
To contribute to coastal defense, the official said, the United States, along with partner and allied nations, have provided the Harpoon system. Earlier this month, the U.S. committed to the donation of two Harpoon launch systems, which the Ukrainians have asked to have mounted on trucks. Other nations have also agreed to provide the Harpoon missiles themselves to be used in those launchers. These are large to protect the riverways and to enable Ukraine to maintain its control of the riverways. They can also be used in close-in coastal areas. This will help enable the Ukrainians to defend themselves. Odesa and other positions along the Black Sea coast.
Coastal and riverine patrol boats, which could be Mark VI. The Mark VI is a class of patrol boat in service with the United States Navy, designed to patrol riverine and littoral waters. The Mark VI is 84.8 ft (25.8 m) long,[12] significantly longer than previous classes of Navy patrol boats. It has a crew of 10 sailors and can carry 8 additional personnel. The interior is spacious, with berthing for the crew and shock-absorbing seats for other occupants; the seats and sound-deadening berthing spaces and galley allow the crew to operate in relatively high sea states while attenuating crew fatigue and risk of injury.
Standard armament consists of two remote-controlled Mk 38 Mod 2 25 mm chain guns and six crewed M2 .50 caliber machine guns. Depending on mission needs, gun mounts can hold M240 machine guns, M134 miniguns, and Mk 19 grenade launchers. The Mark VI is equipped with the MK50 Gun Weapon System (GWS), a shipboard version of the vehicle-mounted M153 CROWS remote turret that enables crewmen to use its camera and gun from the operator’s station below deck. The aluminum-hulled Mark VI is powered by two MTU 16V2000M94 diesel engines connected to water jets that propel it faster than 35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h), with a maximum range of 600 nm (690 mi; 1,100 km).
