The press release
stated that the company’s success in the tender had come after a detailed evaluation
phase, during which ARES Shipyard bested tens of different international
competitors. The ARES 85 HERCULES Patrol and Interception Boat – which the
company says will become the backbone of the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard –
will be 26 metres-long with a displacement of 70 tons. For propulsion, the
boats will each be equipped with water jets capable of propelling the vessel up
to speeds of 45 knots. The hull of the boats will be constructed from fibre reinforced
plastic (FRP) composite materials, and the vessel will be equipped with a 12.7
mm remote-controlled stabilised weapon system, electro-optic sensors, X-Band
radars and radio systems. Each ARES 85 HERCULES will come equipped with a
single military-type rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which will be used for boarding
missions as well as for search and rescue tasks. Just like the other members of
the HERCULES family, the ARES 85 HERCULES is expected to be constructed using vacuum
infusion technology. ARES Shipyard describes itself as the only company around
the world producing military vessels by using this technology.
The contract signed by ARES Shipyard also covers the provision of training and integrated logistics support services. Giving a seven-year warranty for the vessels’ hull, the company will also maintain a permanent team of technicians and engineers in Oman to provide repair services whenever necessary. Commenting on this latest development for the company, Kerim Kalafatoğlu, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of ARES Shipyard, said, “I am proud to say that this contract represents the first military ship export to Oman in the history of the Republic of Turkey.”
MSI Magazine, December 2018