South African Company Milkor has completed sea trials with its MN Centurion, a new generation of high-speed interceptor craft, Milkor Business Development Director told Army Recognition. The development of the MN Centurion started in 2018 with the first testing taking place on the Vaal dam before first being showcased at AAD defense exhibition in September 2018.
South African Company Milkor has completed sea trials with its MN Centurion, a new generation of high-speed interceptor craft, Milkor Business Development Director told Army Recognition. The development of the MN Centurion started in 2018 with the first testing taking place on the Vaal dam before first being showcased at AAD defense exhibition in September 2018.
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Milkor MN Centurion high-speed interceptor craft during sea trials in South Africa. (Picture source Milkor)
For the sea trials, the MN Centurion was tested in waters along the coast of South Africa from Richards Bay to Simons town. The MN Centurion performed really well the crew pushed the boat to its limit. The crew encountered various sea states along the way ranging between sea state 2 and 4 for most of the way. In summary, we were able to achieve a top speed of 47 knots and average speeds of 30 to 40 knots in sea state 1 and 2, and 25 to 30 knots in sea states 3 and 4.
The Milkor MN Centurion high-speed interceptor craft is a 12 m stepped hull, hydrofoil-assisted catamaran design with lightweight composite structure and a reduced radar signature. Designed and configured for multi-role operations, it is ideally suited for long endurance missions. The command and control bridge is shock-mitigated, ballistic-protected, and air-conditioned able to house the crew in safety and comfort. The high-speed interceptor craft houses an array of surveillance equipment, communications equipment, and weapons giving it a full spectrum of capabilities for any inshore or offshore operation. Milkor designs, manufacture and offers after-sales service for Naval and Commercial requirements.
The MN Centurion high-speed interceptor craft is designed to perform long-endurance patrolling and intercepting while still having the ability to travel at high speeds. The boat can be fitted with either 2 outboard petrol motors or 2 inboard diesel engines. She can reach a top speed of 47 knots and a cruising speed from 30 to 40 knots. The boat has a length of 12 m, a beam of 4.8 m, and a displacement of 10,000 kg.
The Milkor MN Centurion a fully stabilized remotely operated weapon station mounted on the crew cabin that can be armed with a 12.7mm caliber heavy machine or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. The boat has a crew of two.
According to the Milkor commercial team, the Milkor MN Centurion is now ready for production and there is Demand in the Middle East with end-users we have been engaging since the original launch at AAD in 2018. Apart from the Middle East, there are good opportunities in the Asia region, Latin America, and Africa that Milkor is currently furthering talks now that the MN Centurion has completed the sea trials.
The MN Centurion will now be shipped to a Middle Eastern country for demonstrations during the first half of 2021 where Milkor is positive to finalize the deal that has been coming since 2018.
