Brazilian Marine Metalúrgica develops armoured RHIB for domestic market

Looking to secure domestic military and homeland security rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) contracts, Brazilian shipbuilder Marine Metalúrgica has designed a range of armoured fast multi-mission armed RHIBs meeting Brazilian Army and navy requirements for such craft.

RHIB MM12000 features ballistic protected cabin and three machine guns (Marine Metalúrgica)

The Brazilian Army and navy, as well as several police forces, have purchased several protected and unprotected armed fast craft in previous years to more effectively counter illegal activities and surveil coastal and riverine areas. However, the country’s budget constraints have limited the number of needed boats purchased.

The Marine Metalúrgica RHIB family, featuring MM7000, MM9000, and MM12000 designs, offers rigid hull fully built of welded naval-grade aluminium.

They can accommodate a payload of equipment including up to two four-stroke outboard motors, an electro-optical sensor, a public address system, a searchlight, navigation radar, communications, a GPS, an automatic identification system (AIS), ballistic protection, and 7.6 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns.

Both the MM9000 and MM12000 configurations include a fully enclosed ballistic protected pilot cabin with air conditioning. The MM9000, weighing 1,150 kg, measures 9 m in length and 3.2 m in width for a crew of two and space for 15 personnel. The MM12000, weighing 1,600 kg, measures 12 m in length and 3.2 m in width for a crew of two and space for 21 passengers.