Silver Ships, Mobile, Ala., has completed the first deliveries under its Naval Sea Systems Command contract for Naval Special Warfare surface support craft (SSC). The company delivered seven 36’ open center console (OCC) vessels and two 26’ OCC vessels.
The Navy has conducted pre-delivery inspection and testing of three vessel variants covered under the contract, Silver Ships said in a statement. The SSC program includes five variants of the Ambar-series rigid hull inflatable boats, with both open center console and cabin configurations, as well as the Special Purpose Craft–Law Enforcement II (SPC-LE2) variant.
The 26’ and 36’ SSCs have aluminum deep-V hulls with a protective collar and a multipurpose deck for carrying payloads or mission gear. Silver Ships said the boats are designed for operations ranging from inland waterways to open-ocean, over-the-horizon transits, and in varying weather conditions. Missions include ocean diver and swimmer support, medical transport, vessel towing, and water airdrop training, the shipyard said.
Silver Ships said it has also delivered the first SPC-LE2 vessels to Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., Coast Guard Station South Padre Island, Texas, and the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy in Charleston, S.C. Silver Ships noted the 36’ SPC-LE2 vessels are armed and will operate along U.S. borders and in the Caribbean. Their missions include intercepting suspicious vessels entering U.S. waters and port security. Silver Ships said a 36’ cabin version is in advanced design and production.
The $8.2 million delivery order is part of a firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) single-award contract (N00024-21-D-2205) for the construction and delivery of up to 110 SSC and SPC-LE2 vessels, as well as accessories, parts, and training. If all options are exercised, the contract’s cumulative value would be $51.6 million, with production continuing through 2026-2027.
The Silver Ships statement highlighted its construction of more than 650 RHIBs for all branches of the U.S. military over the past 20 years.
