German Navy Buys 15 Watercat Combat Boats For Sea Battalion

The German Navy’s Sea Battalion is acquiring 15 Watercat M18 AMC combat boats. Image: Marine Alutech

New Watercat M18 AMC combat boats destined for the German Navy’s Sea Battalion will be delivered from 2029 onwards.

In total 15 of the 20-metre boats, specially designed for coastal environments, are being procured from Finnish shipbuilder Marine Alutech by BAAINBw (the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support).

The contract order has been valued at about €175 million (£145m). All the vessels will be based with the Seebataillon (Sea Battalion), the German Navy’s specialized naval infantry force based out of Eckernförde. The final boats are set to be delivered by 2031.

The Watercat M18 AMC (Armoured Modular Craft) — referred to as the Jehu-class landing craft by the Finnish Navy — is a high-speed, multi-purpose military transport vessel designed optimized for littoral combat, patrols, casualty evacuation and troop deployment in coastal environments.

Rolls Royce waterjet-powered, it can reach speeds of 45 knots and can accommodate up to 26 fully equipped combatants in addition to their 2-5 strong crew. An integrated bow ramp enables rapid landings and the direct loading and unloading of personnel and equipment onshore.

It can accommodate a range of weapons systems including a Saab Trackfire Remote Weapon Station (RWS) with either a 12.7mm machine gun or a 40mm grenade-launcher, or can be configured to carry either to 4 Rafael Spike NLOS anti-ship/surface missiles or 6 Forcit PM16 naval mines.

As well as Finland, which operates 12 M18s, Lithuania also already uses two of the combat boats for Baltic coast operations.

Both orders fall under a joint procurement initiative, the Common Fleet of Multi-Role Assault Craft (CFMAC) development and procurement framework.

It has been established by Baltic region partners to standardise littoral combat and assault boat operations across European and NATO alliances, paving the way for further potential orders: Latvia has already signed a related technical agreement.