VARNA, Bulgaria (BulgarianMilitary.com), U.S. officially donated four state-of-the-art equipped high-speed motorboats to the Bulgarian Naval forces. One of them is a medium-sized patrol boat, and the other three are from the type Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB), learned BulgarianMilitary.com

The ceremony for handover and sanctification of the boats, held in Varna, was attended by US ambassador Eric Rubin, who said that Bulgaria is the first country from the Black Sea region that obtains such vessels.

On the ceremony in Varna, the Bulgarian soldiers who have successfully completed the course for operating and servicing the new motorboats, received their certificates. The course, was conducted by instructors from the US Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School in Mississippi. The full amount of the donation including the technology, the equipment as well as the training of the Bulgarian military at the US Special Forces School is about $ 2 million.

Navy Commander Rear Admiral Mitko Petev who also attended the handover, said that the new acquired boats improve the Navy Special Forces capabilities for high-speed movement and deployment by sea. He added that with the donation of these high-speed motor vessels altogether with the using Panther helicopters, the Navy already has a complete set for rapid reactions.

Petev also stated that the boats can be used in the event of terrorist attacks, inspection and escorting ships, as well as for interception. These high-speed motor vessels can be engaged in maritime search, rescue operations as well as in medical evacuation of injured people and will assist the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior in its efforts to counter illegal migration.

Speaking on the features of the motorboats, Petev described them as state-of-the-art. The new vessels are equipped with special anti-terrorist cutter with a sonar station¸ and night and thermal vision cameras, which can detect divers and moreover in all four boats can be installed heavy automatic weapons. Another their specification is that they sail at up to 40 knots (74km/h), and their range is more than 100 nautical miles.

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