In March 2021, Swiftships was awarded a contract to provide co-production services for the design and in-country construction of 38.8m Gun Boats for the Pakistan Navy. The total requirement is for 20 Gun Boats, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery by January 2024. Scope of work includes value-added engineering services, supplying complete Kit of Materials (KoM) and providing SME support during the production at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). This is a program of record for the Pakistan Navy as the 38.8m Gun Boats are the first military vessels to be indigenously designed and built in the country. Before starting construction, the engineers at Swiftships supported KS&EW in optimizing the design and preparing a comprehensive technical package. State-of-the-art software were utilized to develop very detailed 3D drawings and production models.
The Steel Cutting ceremony was held on October 6, 2022, followed by the Keel Laying ceremony on January 27, 2023. These significant milestones, achieved in time by Swiftships and KS&EW, are a testament to their successful collaboration. The partners have scheduled that the first boat will be delivered within the benchmarkable 15-month period, and even more expedited production is expected for the subsequent boats. The 38.8M Gun Boat is a multi-mission vessel. With a top speed of 33 knots, it is ideal for force protection, maritime interdiction, maritime security operations, high-speed escort, coastal defense, surveillance, and search and rescue missions. Its high speed and excellent maneuverability make it a highly survivable platform.
The boat is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon systems, including an Aselsan-supplied 30mm stabilized automatic gun, a 12.7mm semi-automatic gun, and a pair of locally produced 12.7mm manual guns and 7.62mm machine guns. This co-production program with the Pakistan Navy/KS&EW enhances Swiftships’ successful track record and reinforces their ambitions of supporting countries in developing their industrial capabilities and gaining self-reliance in defense production. Learn more about Swiftships’ planning yard and co-production services or read the case study on the Egyptian 28m Coastal Patrol Craft, which became the world’s most serial-produced vessel in its class.
Swiftships is a shipbuilding and marine engineering company headquartered in South Louisiana, USA. Company operates globally and specialized in the construction of small to medium sized vessels made of steel, aluminum or fiberglass. Swiftships is involved in ship design, construction, repair and maintenance activities. Founded by Fred Sewart in 1942, Swiftships began as Sewart Machine Works and then as Sewart Seacraft in 1946. Company became a supplier of “Swift Boats” to the US Navy during the Vietnam War (Swiftships delivered 193 Fast Patrol Crafts to the US Navy throughout the conflict). The mission objective of the Swift Boat was to provide the Navy with a fast boat that could patrol the river shores for enemy soldiers. In 1969 the company was renamed as Swiftships.
