Ukraine to receive Island ships from the US in June: naval commander

Now the ships are undergoing proper maintenance and additional equipment in Baltimore, USA.

US island-class patrol boats will arrive in Ukraine during the first six months of this year. This was announced by the Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Rear Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, in an interview with Radio Liberty, published on Sunday, January 3.

“We hope that the Island will reach us during the next first half of the year and by the end of 2021 they will acquire all their skills, then we will have a division of five ships of this class,” said the rear admiral.

He also reported that the ships are undergoing proper maintenance and re-equipment in the United States, with Ukrainian crews leaving for Baltimore this month, where additional training will take place on board.

In addition, Neizhpapa added, a contract has been signed for the construction of US Mark VI vessels for Ukraine.

“We hope that in the next two years (that is, by the end of 2022) the first batch will reach the Ukrainian Navy. We have fully decided on the weapons systems that will be installed on both the Mark VI and the Island,” the commander stressed.

Finally, the rear admiral expressed the hope that in January British colleagues would provide details on the construction of eight missile launches (with components) for the Ukrainian Navy, which had been previously agreed.

As a reminder, the US military is preparing several Island-class patrol boats for shipment to Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Vladimir Yelchenko, in October he personally examined them in Baltimore.

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