Textron Marine & Land Systems was awarded the prototype construction contract in 1988[7] and the first prototype was assigned hull number CG-47200, entering service in 1990, followed by the pre-production boats (CG-47201 through CG-47205), which were delivered in 1993 and 1994.[4]:§A.2.,p.2-3 After Textron was awarded the production contract in 1995,[7] the first production MLB, CG-47206, was delivered in 1997.[4]:§A.2.,p.2-3 By 2003, Textron had delivered 117 47' MLBs to the USCG.[7]
Textron also has been awarded international contracts for the 47' MLB from Egypt (2002, three delivered in 2005) and Mexico (2008, six delivered by 2011).[7]
At Station Chatham where the 47-foot boat would draw too much to get over the bar, the 42-foot Near Shore Lifeboat was designed to replace the 44' MLB.[9] The 42-foot near shore lifeboat were decommissioned in 2021 and replaced with a pair of 45-foot RB-M craft.[10]
A service life extension program (SLEP) for the 47' MLB will extend their useful life by 20 years to 2047; the first boats to undergo the SLEP were returned in June 2023, and as of 2023, 107 47' MLBs are planned to complete SLEP by 2030.[11] The SLEP contract, which was awarded to Birdon Group in 2019, is being implemented at its facilities in Bellingham, Washington and Portland, Connecticut.[12]
↑"47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB)"(PDF). United States Coast Guard. April 18, 2003. Archived from the original(PDF) on January 25, 2017.
12"USCG: About Us – Aircraft & Cutters". United States Coast Guard. December 6, 2006. Archived from the original on December 28, 2006.
1234567891011121314"Foreign Military Sales: Motor Life Boat 47-Foot MLB". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2011-12-30.
1234COMDTINST M16114.25B: 47FT MOTOR LIFEBOAT OPERATOR'S HANDBOOK(PDF). U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard. November 2007.alternate URL
↑Finucane, Martin (May 8, 2009). "Coast Guard bids adieu to 44-foot boat". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009.
12Operational Logistics Support Plan (OLSP) for the 47′ Motor Lifeboat (MLB)
12345"Motor Lifeboat: versatile, proven, and ready for duty"(PDF). -Textron Systems. March 2015. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 15, 2016.
1234"47-Foot Motor Lifeboat"(PDF). Textron Marine & Land Systems. September 2003. Archived from the original(PDF) on May 21, 2006.
↑Young, LT Stephanie (November 30, 2012). "Shipmate of the Week — BMC William Lefever". COAST GUARD COMPASS OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD. Archived from the original on December 2, 2012.
↑Fraser, Doug. "Chatham rescue boats to be retired — replacement vessels are not rated for breaking surf". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
↑"First 47-foot motor lifeboats delivered following design modification to service life extension program" (Press release). Acquisition Directorate, United States Coast Guard. June 29, 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
↑"Birdon Announces United States Coast Guard Extension of Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Contract" (Press release). Birdon Group. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
External links
US Coast Guard datasheet on the 47 MLB
Textron Marine datasheet on the 47 MLB—contractor for the USCG 47 MLB
MetalCraft Marine ― CCG 47 MLBの請負業者
47フィートモーター救命艇 - MLB(military.com )
Long, Daniel W. (2002年12月). 「生きたまま連れ戻せ」 . Boating . pp. 84–87 . 2025年3月6日取得.