December 7, 2007: Pakistan is building, under
license, two Turkish patrol craft. The ONUK MRTP33 Fast Patrol Boats have been
very popular with the Turkish, Albanian and U.S. Coast Guards. These are
hundred foot boats, which use diesel and gas turbine power plants to attain
high speed (90 kilometers an hour or more), as well as a water jet system for
high maneuverability. The boats weigh 30 tons, carry up to twenty crew and can
stay at sea for three days at a time. Standard armament is a 57mm rapid fire
gun, plus machine-guns and small arms. Anti-Ship and anti-aircraft missiles can
be carried. The use of composites in these boats makes them very sturdy and
stealthy.
Pakistan has been importing these patrol boats from
Turkey for over five years and have been very pleased with the performance.
