Rosborough Boats awarded RHIB contract
Rosborough Boats has received a $7.3 million contract from Irving Shipbuilding to provide multi-role rescue boats for Canada’s Arctic Offshore Patrol ships (AOPS), the company announced on 13 March.
Rosborough Boats will supply two of its Rough Water 8.5m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) for each of the six AOPS vessel being built at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard for the Royal Canadian Navy. The first AOPS is scheduled to be delivered to the navy in 2018.
The RHIBs will be used as fast rescue boats, for marshalling and towing lifeboats, and deploying and supporting the navy’s enhanced naval boarding party.
Heaton Rosborough, president, Rosborough Boats, said: ‘Working with Irving Shipbuilding to supply our Rough Water 8.50s for AOPS reinforces the purpose of the National Shipbuilding Strategy by equipping the Royal Canadian Navy with high-quality enhanced equipment, best matched to [its] current and future mission sets while employing Canadians and bolstering the Canadian marine industry.
‘Rosborough will capitalise on this successful relationship to further market our line of vessels to other programmes in the Royal Canadian Navy as well as navies and coast guards around the world.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
![SOF Week 2026: US NSW explores 3D-printed USVs for forward-deployed operations]()
SOF Week 2026: US NSW explores 3D-printed USVs for forward-deployed operations
US Naval Special Warfare Command is assessing the feasibility of rapidly producing expendable mid-sized USVs in theatre to support SOF and maritime security missions.
-
![MARSOC selects upgraded Shark Marine dive navigation system]()
MARSOC selects upgraded Shark Marine dive navigation system
MARSOC is procuring the Shark Marine Dive Tablet 2 to address a longstanding combat diver navigation capability gap, improving underwater positioning, situational awareness and integration with existing diver propulsion vehicles.
-
![SOF Week 2026: NSW expands commercial UxS push to maritime platforms as USASOC advances FPV drone effort]()
SOF Week 2026: NSW expands commercial UxS push to maritime platforms as USASOC advances FPV drone effort
The US Army Special Operations Command and Naval Special Warfare are accelerating efforts to integrate commercial uncrewed systems, with NSW broadening its solicitation to include USVs and UUVs alongside new requirements for ISR, kinetic operations and swarm technologies.
-
![SOF Week 2026: US Navy USV completes record eight-day autonomous mission]()
SOF Week 2026: US Navy USV completes record eight-day autonomous mission
The MARTAC T38 Devil Ray USV has set a new endurance benchmark as the US Navy pushes deeper into autonomous maritime warfare.
-
![UK Royal Navy dock build question remains open ahead of Programme Euston tender]()
UK Royal Navy dock build question remains open ahead of Programme Euston tender
The UK MoD’s Programme Euston floating dry dock tender has exposed a question about the UK’s naval industrial base: does Britain still have the depth to sustain its own deterrent without foreign intervention.
