U.S. Navy takes delivery of new range support vessel

Marine Group Boat Works has delivered a new Range Support Vessel to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division for operations on the Point Mugu Sea Range off Southern California, the San Diego-based shipbuilder announced Monday.

The aluminum vessel was built at MGBW’s Chula Vista, California, shipyard to support weapons testing and evaluation on the range, which spans 36,000 square miles of Pacific coastal waters and has operated since 1946 as the Navy’s first instrumented missile test sea range. The range includes San Nicolas Island and is used for developmental and operational testing of missiles, free-fall weapons and electronic warfare systems.

The RSV has a large open aft deck designed to launch surface and aerial targets, along with an integrated heavy-duty hydraulic crane for deploying and recovering targets during test operations.

“Delivering this vessel demonstrates Marine Group’s ability to design, build, and deliver highly specialized maritime assets that support critical Navy operations,” said Todd Roberts, CEO of Marine Group Boat Works. “This project reflects the dedication of our skilled workforce, the strength of our shipbuilding capabilities, and our commitment to providing the U.S. military with mission-ready platforms.”

MGBW built the vessel to commercial American Bureau of Shipping class standards and said it passed all required U.S. Coast Guard inspections during construction and testing.

The company’s Chula Vista shipyard covers one million square feet with more than 2,000 feet of dockage and an 820-ton lift. MGBW also operates a second facility in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, and employs more than 210 ABS-certified welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics, electricians and painters across both sites.

The company said the RSV adds to its portfolio of government and defense contracts, which includes vessel construction, repair, modernization and lifecycle support work for military and commercial operators.