Ultra Fast Attack Craft

Last updated

Maldivian Coast Guard boat in Male.jpg
MNDF Coast Guard Colombo-class coastal surveillance vessel Iskandhar in 2021.
Class overview
NameColombo class
Builders Colombo Dockyard Limited
OperatorsSee Operators
SubclassesSee Subclasses
CostUSD$2.95 million (Series III) [1]
In commission1996
General characteristics
TypeUltra fast attack craft
Displacement52 long tons (53 t) (Series I and II) 56 long tons (57 t) (Series III)
Length24.3 m (79 ft 9 in) (Series I and II) 24 m (78 ft 9 in) (Series III)
Beam5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Draught3 m (9 ft 10 in) (Series I and II) 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) (Series III)
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 12V 396 TE 94 (1,630 kW; 2,190 hp each) driving with 2 x Kamewa water jets
  • and
  • 2 × DEUTZ TBD 620 V16 main engines (3,410 kW; 4,570 hp each) [1] and two Arneson ASD-16 articulating surface drives (Sri Lanka)
  • 2 x Paxman-Vega diesel engines driving with 2 x Kamewa water jets (Maldives)
Speed45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) (Series I and II) and 53 knots (98 km/h; 61 mph) (Series III)
Range500–600  nmi (930–1,110 km; 580–690 mi)
Complement10–12
Armament

The Ultra Fast Attack Craft, commonly known as the Ultra Fast-Attack Craft, [2] the UFAC, [3] or Colombo class, [4] is a Sri Lankan ultra high-speed class of patrol boats meant for a variety of naval missions from off-shore coastal patrol missions to high-speed, high-maneuver littoral warfare. They are based on the Shaldag boats made by Israel. [3] [5]

Contents

Built by Colombo Dockyard Limited for the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), [1] they became the workhorse of the SLN against Sea tiger boats of the LTTE in the Sri Lankan civil war.

History

Sri Lankan service

Deliveries of the P450 and P451 were in 1996 as the first UFACs in the SLN. [6] [4] The P490-492, P494, P494 and the P497 were delivered in 1997. [6] The P410-P415, the P417 and P419-P424 were delivered in 2000. [6] P430 and P432-439 were delivered in 2005. [6]

In 2000, P493 and P496 were sunk. [6] On December 27, 2007, one UFAC Series II (P413) was destroyed and another damaged during an encounter between Sri Lankan Navy and Sea Tiger patrol boats between Delft Island and Mannar. [7] In May 2006, P418 was sunk. [6] On March 22, 2008, a UFAC (P438) was taken out via Sea Tiger suicide attack at the waters off Nayaru and the Kokilai lagoon south of Mulaithivu District. [8] [9] P434 was taken out in 2009. [6]

In 2003, P474 and P494 were deployed to intercept a tanker ship used by the LTTE with no losses. [10] [11]

In August 2017, the crew of P494 rescued four Indian fisherman from drowning at 8.5 nautical miles west of Analaitivu island. [12]

Modernization

The P494, in service from 1997, taken off service briefly for retrofitting from October 2019 to January 2022 to replace engines and drive control systems alongside the deck exterior. [13]

Maldivian service

The first coastal surveillance vessel was made in 1997 and delivered for the MNDF Coast Guard on January 20, 1998 as the Nooradheen T701 (ex-P214), formerly known as the Ghazee. [14] [15] Another was delivered on December 7, 1998 as the Iskandhar T702 (ex-223). [14]

The MNDF reported that the Iskandhar was not operational in 2012 while the Nooradheen was not operational since 2016 due to lack of coast guard docking facilities to properly conduct maintenance. [16] As of 2020, they are still in operation. [17]

Subclasses

The Sri Lankan UFACs are divided into series, consisting of Series I, II, III and IV. [a]

Series I

The boats of the Series I are 24 m (78 ft 9 in) long with a monohull with a vibration-free deck, powered by twin MTU main engines developing 1,630  kW (2,190  hp ) each, driving Kamewa water jets. [18] This enables the boat to reach speeds of 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) and have an endurance of 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi). They have a crew of 10. [18]

Around 12 were delivered to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in 1996. [19] [1]

Series II

Series II the successor to the earlier type. Main upgrades include the increase of accommodation for a crew of 12 and major improvements the superstructure. [18]

Like the Series I, around 12 were delivered to the SLN in 1997. [19] [1]

Series III

The Series III has incorporated current combat requirements and experience in the battlefield archived by the SLN. This new type can achieve speeds in excess of 53 knots (98 km/h; 61 mph), the fastest of its class in the region while housing up to 12 persons in a crew. [18]

The propulsion system consists of two Deutz diesel engines driving two articulated surface drives, [18] which were initially designed for competitive speedboats. Arneson Surface Drive-16 articulating propulsion systems drives provide the vessel with thrust vectoring control similar to the Super Dvora Mk III and Shaldag Mk II. [18] Their thrust-vectoring propulsion system allows Series III to function in shallow waters at draughts of 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) facilitating special operations forces delivery on enemy shores and catastrophe relief missions.

36 Series III UFACs were known to be built and delivered for the SLN in 2000. [19] [1]

Series IV

Similar to Series III, they share the same Deutz engines. [20]

These boats were delivered to the SLN in 2005. [19]

Coastal surveillance vessel

The two coastal surveillance vessels built for the Maldivian Coast Guard are very similar to the Series III Ultra Fast Attack Craft. The ships have more range but at a lower speed of 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph). [21] They have a crew complement of 18. [17] These boats are outfitted with Paxman-Vega diesel engines and Kamewa waterjets. [17]

These vessels have no armaments. [21] But according to Jane's Fighting Ships, the two vessels are equipped with one 20mm machine gun and two 7.62mm machine guns. [14]

Systems

Sri Lanka

All Colombo-class boats have been designed to allow for the installation of Typhoon 25-30 mm stabilized cannon which can be slaved to state-of the art mast-mounted, day and night all weather long range electro-optic systems. [22] In addition, they carry additional weapon systems such as 20 mm Oerlikon rear autocannons, automatic grenade launchers, 7.62 mm GPMGs and 12.7 mm HMGs. [6]

These boat also use surface search: Furano FR 8250 or Corden Mk 2; I-band as its radar. [6]

Maldives

The boats delivered to the Maldives only have one 20 mm machine gun and 2 7.62 mm machine guns. [14]

They use JRC-JMA 3625; JRC-JMA 3204; I-band for radar. [14] [17]

Ships

The following are the UFACs used by Sri Lanka and the Maldives:

Sri Lankan Navy

Hull No.TypeBuilderLaid downCommissionedStatusReference/s
P450Series IColombo Dockyard Limited1996In Service as of 2025 [23]
P451Series IColombo Dockyard Limited1996Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P490Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Sunk in 2000 by Sea Tigers. [6]
P491Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P492Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P493Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Sunk in March 21, 2001 by Sea Tigers. [20]
P494Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P495Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Sunk by Sea Tiger. No date. [20]
P496Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Sunk in 2000 by Sea Tigers. [6]
P497Series IIColombo Dockyard Limited1997-1999Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P410Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P411Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P412Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P413Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Sunk by Sea Tiger. No date. [20]
P414Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P415Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P416Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Sunk by Sea Tiger. No date. [20]
P417Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P418Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Sunk in May 2006 by Sea Tigers. [6]
P419Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P424Series IIIColombo Dockyard Limited2000-2004Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P430Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P431Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Sunk by Sea Tiger. No date. [20]
P432Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P433Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P434Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Sunk in 2009 by Sea Tigers. [6]
P435Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P436Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P437Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]
P438Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Sunk in March 2008 by Sea Tigers. [6]
P439Series IVColombo Dockyard Limited2005Reportedly decommissioned. [20]

MNDF Coast Guard

Hull No.NameBuilderLaid downCommissionedStatusReference/s
T701Nooradheen, formerly GhazeeColombo Dockyard Limited1997January 20, 1998Operational [17]
T702IskandharColombo Dockyard Limited1997January 20, 1998Operational [17]

Operators

Notes

  1. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships classifies them as Mark (Mark I, II, III and IV).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Shamindra Ferdinando. "Navy obtains Ultra Fast Attack Craft from Dockyard Ltd". island.lk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2003. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Rising sun for Japan- Sri Lanka maritime relations | Daily FT". Archived from the original on 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Sri Lanka Military Industry". Global Security. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Special Focus: Sri Lanka" (PDF). Epicos Informational Services. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Saunders (2009), p. 763.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Saunders (2015), p. 787.
  7. ↑ "Inside Story of Latest Sea Confrontation (Update)". Sri Lanka Guardian. 27 December 2007. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "One UFAC destroyed, 10 sailors MIA". Sri Lanka Guardian. 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Lanka naval vessel sinks in sea blast, 10 missing - The Economic Times". Archived from the original on 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  10. ↑ https://www.sundaytimes.lk/030316/columns/sitrep.html
  11. ↑ https://frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/article30216361.ece
  12. ↑ http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=42784
  13. ↑ "Sri Lanka Navy". news.navy.lk.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Saunders (2015), p. 524.
  15. ↑ "Milestone | Colombo Dockyard PLC". www.cdl.lk. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "No plans to establish foreign military bases in Maldives: MNDF".
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "ISKANDHAR patrol boats (1998) - Maldivian Coast Guard (Maldive Islands)". myownonpmirror.com.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Colombo Dockyard Limited – Ultra Fast Attack Boats and Logistic and Surveillance Craft". naval-technology.com. SPG Media Group PLC. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Fish, Tim (March 2009). "Sri Lanka learns to counter Sea Tigers' swarm tactics". Jane's Navy International. Jane's. p. 22.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "P450 patrol boats (1996-2005)".
  21. 1 2 3 "Coastal Surveillance Vessel" (PDF). www.cdl.lk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "The Sunday Leader Online - Issues". Archived from the original on 26 August 2017.
  23. ↑ "Fleet". Sri Lankan Navy. Archived from the original on 26 November 2025. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  24. ↑ "Shipbuilding - Ship repairs - Heavy engineering" (PDF). uqp.no. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  25. ↑ "Feasibility Report - Ship / Boat Building, Nautical Tourism, Marina Development" (PDF). www.srilankabusiness.com. Retrieved 1 April 2024.

Bibliography

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