Did you know Ukraine is about to get some powerful boats from the United States?

The Ukrainian Navy doesn't have any major surface vessels involved in fighting the Russians on the Black Sea but that doesn't mean Kyiv's allies can't provide it with help on the high seas. Riverboats and patrol vessels play a crucial role in Ukraine's defense and Kyiv is about to get a lot more of them from the United States.

On June 7th, the United States announced it was planning to provide another tranche of security assistance to Ukraine in the form of a $225 million dollar aid package filled with the weapons and ammo most needed for the battlefield. 

Air defense interceptors, artillery systems, extra munitions, armored vehicles, and even anti-tank weapons were included in the package but one of the lesser mentioned items was the addition of more coastal and riverine patrol boats. 

Details about the number and types of boats being provided to Ukraine weren’t provided but this wouldn’t be the first time that the United States supplied Kyiv with surface patrol boats since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Since February 2022, Washington has provided Ukraine with more than eighty coastal patrol boats according to the U.S. State Department, including many different types of boats that have been reported on by several news outlets. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CC BY-SA 2.0

In June 2022, The Warzone reported that the United States sent eight boats to Ukraine that included two 35-foot Small Unit Riverine Craft, ten 34-foot SeaArk Dauntless-class patrol boats, and six 40-foot maritime combat patrol boats.

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By United States Navy, MC2 Kirk Worley, Public Domain

“These are largely to protect the riverways and to enable Ukraine to maintain its control of the riverways,” one senior U.S. official explained to reporters about the patrol boats at the time. “They can also be used in close-in coastal areas.”

The Small Unit Riverine Craft is a boat primarily used by the U.S. Marine Corps and can transport as many as thirteen soldiers and can travel upwards of 40 knots. However, it is boats like the SeaArk Dauntless that can really help Ukraine. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By United States Marine Corps, Sgt. Michael Kropiewnicki, Public Domain

The Dauntless may be a small river boat at 34 feet but it comes loaded with a powerful 750-horsepower engine and has three connection points where it can be equipped with machine guns or 40mm automatic grenade launchers according to Army Recognition.

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Moriatis, Public Domain

“The Dauntless is the fastest high-performance model. It features a deep V variable deadrise hull from Ray Hunt Design that is ideal for offshore operations… The boat is capable of carrying up to seven tons of cargo,” Army Recognition added. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By U.S. photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Moriatis, Public Domain

A CNN report on the Dauntless in Ukraine noted that these vessels are used by Ukraine to defend the Dnipro River and capture infiltrators. The boats have also been employed in air defense roles as well according to one captain.

“We’re looking for any kind of enemies everywhere, air, on land, and on the river,” noted the Ukrainian captain CNN interviewed in June 2023. “In cases where Russia is using Shaheds, we can use (these boats) to try and strike them.”

Washington has also previously provided the Ukrainians with the 40-foot Defiant-class patrol vessel from Metal Shark, a boat that Naval News reported in 2022 was meant to possibly replace the U.S. Navy’s Mark VI Patrol Boat. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Metal Shark boats, Metal Shark 45 Defiant, CC BY-SA 4.0

According to Naval Technology, the United States has also provided the Mark VI Patrol Boat to Ukraine, which provides the country’s river defenders with “modernized weapons, communications, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.”

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Chief Boatswain's Mate Nelson Doromal Jr., Public Domain

Defense Express noted the Mark VI Patrol Boat in service with Ukraine has been seen sporting M2 Browning 50 caliber heavy machine guns, an MK19 automatic grenade launcher, and two M240 medium machine guns. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Scott, Public Domain

The Ukrainian news outlet also pointed out that the U.S. Marine Corps had previously practiced firing FIM-92 Stinger air-defense systems and the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile systems from the deck of the patrol boats. 

While we may not know which boats Ukraine will be getting in its new security package from Washington, nor do we know in what amount, they will likely help Ukraine continue to defend its shoreline as it seeks to retake the territory Russia occupies.  

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