France has finally decided to send FPB patrol boats to Ukraine 98 MKI, intended for the Coast Guard of the Ukrainian State Border Service. The first two boats have already left the territory of France and started moving towards Ukraine, but not alone, and on board a cargo ship.
According to the French press, 10 May, two boats with tail numbers BG-202 and BG-203 were loaded on board a cargo ship called Gaya, 16 May it arrived in Malta, 19 May the ship is to moor in the Greek port of Alexandropolis. There is no further information on the itinerary of the vessel Gaya.. Ukrainian resources suggest, that the boats will make the further journey by land through Bulgaria and Romania to Odessa, since Türkiye will not let a ship with boats through the Black Sea straits. Although it is possible, that Gaya will pass freely through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, since there are no weapons on the boats.
Generally, while nothing is clear. Also interesting, why the French are transferring only two boats to Ukraine, although six have already been produced under the contract 2019 years to build 20 boats. Previously, Kyiv feared, that finished boats will go to Nigeria instead of Ukraine, since this African country has concluded a contract with OSEA for the construction of similar patrol boats at the end 2022 of the year, and the French have already announced their readiness to transfer finished boats to them.
FPB 98 MKI is a lightweight aluminum patrol boat with a length of 32 m, which accelerates to 30 knots with cruising range 1200 nautical miles. weaponry: 30-mm gun mount DS30B. Crew – 14 human. The boat has a shallow draft for sailing in shallow water. Ukraine intends to use these boats to protect the state border and counter enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, perhaps, that they plan to transfer them to the Dnieper. used photos:https://mil.in.ua/uk
