I got an excellent opportunity this morning to take a ride on the Potomac aboard the Coast Guard’s new Response Boat-Medium (RB-M). The RB-M acquisition is the third initiative in the Response Boats 2010 strategic vision and transition plan, aimed at standardizing and revitalizing the USCG’s shore-based response fleet.

We only got up to about 35 knots, but you could definitely feel how powerful the boat is. The bow rose up out of the water and we glided along, a plume shooting out behind us. There are no bow thrusters on this little boat -  it's all twin-diesel engines with waterjet propulsion.

The crew were clearly excited to show the media their new toy. The driver said the RB-M’s handling is "fantastic," a big improvement over the 41-foot Utility Boat it replaces. Another crew member told me they had to fight 8-foot seas coming up to D.C. last night as a front passed through. What was normally a 4- to 5-hour journey took them 8 hours, but they said they were glad to be doing it in the new boat.

There are 30 RB-Ms on order. Marinette Marine is delivering approximately one per month, while building production capacity to deliver 30 per year as early as FY 2010. The first RB-M was delivered to Station Little Creek, Virginia, in April and a second one was delivered to Cape Disappointment, Washington, in August. The third went to Key West in September. Over the next seven years, an additional 177 boats are planned for delivery for a total fleet of 180 RB-Ms.