A new highly armed, super fast anti-terrorist craft, sure to cause a wave of interest from countries in the war-torn Gulf region, has been unveiled by Southampton shipbuilders, Vosper Thornycroft (VT).

Designed to be operated by undercover special forces, the high-speed military craft can be equipped with a devastating range of missiles, guns and cannons.

The powerful Fast Response Boat (FRB) with a top speed of up to 50 knots is aimed at combating terrorist and criminal threats within a country's economic exclusive zone.

VT's shipbuilding export sales director, Peter Stirk, said: "These craft have the speed and range to outrun and outgun other fast craft deployed for hit and run, smuggling, terrorist and other threats.''

The company says it is expecting interest from the Gulf region where previous generations of similar craft are in service with many navies and coastguards.

Building on VT's international reputation for fast craft, which has resulted in many designs being supplied to Gulf countries for 40 years, the FRB is a new generation of countermeasure vessel to fight the rising menace to coastal borders.

Besides its fast capability, the craft can also maintain a continuous speed of up to 30 knots over a range of 750 nautical miles with up to 1,000 nautical miles achievable at lower speeds.

Continuous power is provided by two diesels driving internal shafts to steerable waterjets with supplementary power coming from an aft-mounted gas turbine.

There is accommodation on board the craft, built from a special composite material, for a complement of 13.