Kalashnikov company has delivered new BK-10 high-speed patrol boat to Sub-Saharan African country

A Sub-Saharan African country acquired the newest BK-10 high-speed patrol boat designed by the Kalashnikov Group (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec), the company’s press department announced on April 10, 2020.


A Sub-Saharan African country acquired the newest BK-10 high-speed patrol boat designed by the Kalashnikov Group (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec), the company’s press department announced on April 10, 2020.


Kalashnikov company has delivered new BK 10 high speed patrol boat to Sub Saharan African country 925 001 The new BK-10 high-speed patrol boats of 🇷🇺#Russian #SOF at roadstead of #Sevastopol. April 18, 2018. (Picture source twitter account CaptN)


“Rosoboronexport has begun implementing the first export contract with a Sub-Saharan African country for the delivery of Project 02450 BK-10 transport-assault RIBs,” said the press department, adding that the contract “has been inked recently”. The company did not detail the number of the BK-10s to be delivered to the customer.

According to Director General of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheev, the above-mentioned agreement has become “the first contract for the delivery of Russian-made ready-use naval hardware to Sub-Saharan Africa in the last 20 years”.

The Project 02450 BK-10 transport-assault RIB has been designed by the Kalashnikov Group’s Rybinsk Shipyard. According to the enterprise, it is designed for offshore operations, transportations, beach landings, fire support, counter-piracy and counter-terrorism missions, medical evacuation, and relief missions. The boat is complemented with a semi-trailer.

According to the Rybisk Shipyard, the BK-10 has a displacement of 6.12 t. The RIB is 10.48 m long, 3.7 m wide, and 4.08 m high and has a draught of 0.60 m. The BK-10 is powered by two 300-hp or 350-hp diesel engines, producing a speed of 40 kt, a cruising range of 400 nm, and an endurance of 18 hours. The basic boat carries no weapons; however, it can be armed with a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) or two 7.62 mm general-purpose machineguns (GPMGs). The BK-10 is manned by a two-strong crew and transports up to 10 servicemen.

The Rybinsk Shipyard is expanding the BK-10 family of fast craft. The enterprise has developed the BK-10M (‘M’ for Upgraded, Modernizirovannaya) RIB, which features a larger displacement (8.0 t), more powerful engines (370 hp each), longer endurance (1 day), and enlarged passenger capacity (12 servicemen). The BK-10M can carry a Kord 12.7 mm heavy machinegun with two 7.62 mm Kalashnikov PKM GPMGs or a Balkan 40 mm AGL with a Pecheneg 7.62 mm GPMG.

The Rybinsk Shipyard has recently unveiled the BK-10DE, which is the largest member of the BK-10 family. This RIB has a displacement of 9.3 t, two 436-hp engines, and a passenger capacity of 10 servicemen. The BK-10DE can be airdropped by an Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO reporting name: Candid) heavy transport aircraft.