NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Vietnamese PBR Mk I 1970

Ships

Names	Builders	Commissioned	Losses	Transfers	Discarding
31RP661-669 31RP6610-6699 31RP66100-66161	United BB, Bellingham: 31RP661-31RP66161	1966: 31RP661-66161	?	late 1960s, South Vietnam: nearly all	late 1980s: 4 units

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement full, t	6.5
Length, m	9.50
Breadth, m	3.20
Draught, m	0.60
No of shafts	2 water-jet pumps
Machinery	2 General Motors diesels
Power, h. p.	432
Max speed, kts	25
Fuel, t	diesel oil 0.6
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	1 x 2 - 12.7/90, 1 x 1 - 12.7/90, 1 x 1 - 60/12 M19 mortar, 1 x 1 - 40/10 M19 grenade launcher
Electronic equipment	none
Complement	4

Graphics

Project history

The Patrol Boat, River was smaller than the PCF, with an open-topped conning position, and had a fiberglass hull lined with plastic foam; it was propelled and steered by water-jets, for an extremely shallow draft (0.9m compared to 1.2m for a Swift). 

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

The great majority of US PBRs were transferred to South Vietnam. The PBRs were based afloat, LST846, 821, 838 and 786 being converted to support them. In 1994, twenty-seven PBR Mk II remained. Some had been used during the 1991 Gulf conflict.

© Ivan Gogin, 2015