Competition Over the Fast Patrol Boat Market

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By ARIE EGOZI

The next confrontation between Israel and Turkey will be at the weapons market. After having developed UAV’s and missiles, Turkey is going into the fast patrol boats business, again in direct competition with Israeli companies.

Turkey is offering its newest Fast Attack Craft ‘FAC-55’ to Pakistan Navy. The Turkish shipbuilder STM which introduced the new FAC-55 to Qatar and Azerbaijan earlier this year is now pitching the FAC to Pakistan.

Pakistan is seeking four to six missile boats for its Navy.

“The monohull vessel, FAC-55, designed by STM under the Turkish Naval Forces Fast Attack Craft Project, has made its debut in Pakistan. STM, which implemented the ‘Navy Fleet Replenishment Ship and ‘Submarine Modernization Project’ with the Pakistani Naval Force and has appended its signature to successful projects in Pakistan, has drawn interest from the Pakistani Naval Forces with its new high speed Fast Attack Craft, ‘FAC-55’, which was completely designed nationally, like the MİLGEM Corvettes,” the company said in a statement.

According to defenseworld.net, after two years of continuous design work and test results, the FAC-55 has displayed a performance beyond expectations and will be a strong candidate for the Turkish Naval Forces Fast Attack Craft Project in the near future.

The FAC-55 is also being followed with great interest by other countries.