The US Navy’s experimental ship Stiletto is all set to depart for the Caribbean on a mission to support US and multinational counter-illicit trafficking (CIT) operations.

The 60t, 27m-long high-speed experimental boat will be positioned in the Caribbean basin under the control of US Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) and US 4th Fleet and tactical control of joint interagency task force-south (JIATF-S).

The boat has a specialised M-shaped hull design, which allows it to reach speeds of up to 50kt under steady sea conditions.

The vessel is also outfitted with state-of-the-art navigation, communications and network interface capabilities to help the crew to undergo a wide range of missions from mine-clearing operations to humanitarian aid.

The current deployment of the vessel is the second in direct support of CIT operations and also the second under the direction of US Southern Command.