By Guy Martin
Spain’s Grup Aresa Internacional is about to deliver the first of four Aresa 1700 inshore patrol boats to the Nigerian Navy.
The company last week said the first two Fighter II class coastal patrol vessels for the Nigerian Navy are almost ready for launch. A photo shows the vessels P494 and P495 almost complete.
The Aresa 1700 (Fighter II class) is built from aluminium and is 17 metres long, with a 4 metre beam. Each vessel displaces 7.6 tons. The type is powered by two MTU engines delivering 1 250 hp and each driving a propeller. Top speed is in excess of 45 knots. A RHIB can be carried at the rear of the vessel.
Nigeria has previously acquired Aresa vessels, notably for the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The company has also supplied a number of vessels to African military customers, including the Senegal Maritime Police (15 Aresa 1200 Coastal Patrol vessels in the 1990s), Cameroon (17 military vessels in the 2010s), Angola Maritime Police and Nigerian Navy.
Source: defenceweb.co.za
