×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
NAVAL WARFARE INDEX
MODERN FLEETS
WARSHIPS BY COUNTRY
SHIPBUILDERS
COMPARE WARSHIPS
SHIPS BY CONFLICT
SHIPS BY TYPE
SHIPS BY DECADE
SHIPS BY CLASS
COLD WAR SHIPS
VIETNAM WAR SHIPS
Naval Warfare

Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)


Shallow Draught Patrol Boat [ 1966 ]



The United States Marines and Army both made use of the excellent Vietnam War-era PBR.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/12/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
One of the most intriguing of the United States Navy's crafts during the Vietnam War arguably was the PBR (or "Patrol Boat, Riverine" though also sometimes known as "Pibber"). The low-draft, high-speed river-borne craft was used for basic river patrol, river traffic searches and special forces insertion in an attempt to disrupt enemy riverine highways from supplies, ammunition and the like. The boat, the centerpiece for River Patrol Force, Task Force 116, could be fitted with a plethora of armament and was very effective in its intended role.

Design of the PBR centered around its propulsion of twin Detroit Diesel diesel engines which generated up to 220 horsepower. These engines drove twin Jacuzzi Brothers waterjets that allowed the PBR speeds in excess of 28 knots. The rigid hull was constructed of fiberglass and produced a shallow draft, allowing the PBR elements to traverse portions of the Delta where other Navy craft could not enter. Accommodations amounted to a standard load of four personnel with one usually consisting of an interpreter for dialogue and navigational purposes. Ceramic-based armor allowed for some protection for the cabin where three of the crew and their fellow passengers resided. A forth crewmember mounted the separated forward armament tub at the bow.

Armament consisted of a myriad of weapons combinations based on experience and practice. The forward bow turret was usually armed with twin 12.7mm (.50 caliber) M2HB Browning heavy machine guns. A pintle mounting amidships could hold a Mark 19 40mm grenade launcher or a single M60 7.62mm (.30 caliber) belt-fed machine gun. The rear pintle mounted (protected by ceramic shields) could mount a single 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine guns. Additional armament for the boat consisted of mortar launchers, 20mm cannons and flamethrowers, the latter of which produced impressive results against the straw and thatch structures found throughout the region. The standard armament of the PBR could also be augmented by whatever personal weapons were carried by the crew.

The PBR appeared in two marks known simply as Mark I and Mark II. The most differentiating feature between the two was that the Mark II series was fitted with a longer hull. The PBR plays a large role in the Hollywood motion picture Apocalypse Now. PBR's served the United States Navy up until 1995.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Brazil; Cambodia; Laos; Panama; Thailand; South Vietnam; Switzerland; United States; Vietnam
Operators National flag of Brazil National flag of Switzerland National flag of Thailand National flag of the United States National flag of Vietnam
1966
Commissioned
United States
National Origin
Decommissioned, Out-of-Service
Project Status
4
Complement
PBR MK-S
Hull Class
32
Number-in-Class
Not Applicable.
Ships-in-Class


Offshore Operation
Activities conducted near shorelines in support of allied activities.


32.0 feet
(9.75 meters)
Length
12.0 feet
(3.66 meters)
Beam
2.0 feet
(0.00 meters)
Draught
7
tons
Displacement


2 x Detroit Diesel diesel engines developing 220 horsepower and driving 2 x Jacuzzi Brothers waterjets.
Propulsion
28.0 knots
(32.2 mph)
Surface Speed
1 knot = 1.15 mph; 1 nm = 1.15 mile; 1 nm = 1.85 km


2 x 12.7mm Browning M2HB machine guns in forward tub turret position
1 x 40mm Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher on midship gun pintle mount
1 x 12.7mm Browning M2HB OR 7.62mm M60 machine gun on aft gun pintle mount

OPTIONAL:
1 x 7.62mm machine gun on starboard pintle mount
1 x 7.62mm machine gun on port pintle mount
1 x 60mm mortar on midship mount
1 x 20mm cannon on midship mount
1 x flamethrower


None.


Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period
Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Images



1 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
7 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
8 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
9 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
10 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
11 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
12 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
13 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
14 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
15 / 15
Image of the Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR)
Image from the United States Department of Defense database.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)