United States donates Boston Whaler boat to El Salvador’s Navy
June 18, 2020
As part of the United States – El Salvador Friendship Day celebration on June 15th, the U.S. government donated a Boston Whaler boat to the Trident Naval Task Force. This is the eighth boat that the government has given to El Salvador for security tasks and to combat drug trafficking since 2011.
This donation is valued at $1.5 million and includes the cost of the boat, training on its use and spare parts. The Boston Whaler boats are a key tool in the Salvadoran Navy’s efforts to provide border security, law enforcement and maritime drug interdiction.
In 2011, the United States government, through the Department of Defense and the USSOUTHCOM, began this program to assist the government of El Salvadoran countering drug trafficking in the Central American region. Since then, the Department has cooperated with the Salvadoran Armed Forces, providing different equipment, such as 37-foot Boston Whaler boats, night vision equipment, J8 Jeeps and Harris radios and communications equipment. This cooperation includes the support, training and maintenance of these equipment.
