According to information published by the Maltese government on March 22, 2023, the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta has commissioned the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P71, at Maritime Squadron, Haywharf Base, Floriana.
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Offshore Patrol Vessel P71. (Picture source: Armed Forces of Malta)
The Maltese P71 belongs to the OPV748 class and is an offshore patrol vessel. She was ordered on October 10, 2018, and built by Cantiere Navale Vittoria at a cost of €48.6 million. The vessel was launched on February 27, 2021, and completed on November 7, 2022. Her home port is Hay Wharf.
She has a displacement of 2,244 tonnes and a length of 74.8 meters (245 feet 5 inches) overall, with a beam of 13 meters (42 feet 8 inches) and a draught of 3.8 meters (12 feet 6 inches).
The vessel is powered by 2 Wärtsilä diesel engines with Power-take-in, each with a power output of 5,440 kW (7,300 hp), and 2 Rolls-Royce PROMAS controllable-pitch propellers, providing a speed of over 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).
The OPV has an endurance of 15 days and carries 2 9.1-meter (30-foot) rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs). The vessel can accommodate 20 additional crew members and has a complement of 40.
The armament consists of 1 OTO SINGLE 25mm Oerlikon KBA (RCWS), 1 12.7mm (0.50 in) machine gun, and 2 7.62mm (0.300 in) machine guns. The vessel also has Level 2 armor and a helicopter deck for aviation operations.
