USS Ford (FFG-54)
Oliver Hazard Perry Long Hull

Long Hull LAMPS III OHP prior to removal of the Mk-13 GMLS

Update: At some point, the American OHPs were refitted from the weird curved strut split deck boat launch with overhead davit to a (possibly 2-ton) crane davit that sits to the rear of the ships boat on the raised deck. The raised deck also appears to have been unified in that refit, with the weird curved strut completely removed and the gap decked over. Unfortunately, the older davit appears to have exclusively used a whaleboat ships boat, and the new style uses the RHIB. The kit, however, uses the old style overhead davit and split deck, but includes the refit RHIB. So, I'm considering either buying a 1:350 scale whaleboat (still need to confirm what model boat it was) or use spare polystyrene board to unify the raised decks and scratch build the crane style Davit.

OK- I've found a photo of FFG-54 (USS FORD) from 9/25/1997 cruising in the SCS featuring the old-style Davit/splitdeck set up and what MIGHT, POSSIBLY be a RHIB rather than a whaleboat. Now, i have to go back and find the forum post stating that the whaleboats changed to RHIBs with the davit change, but i can say for certain that between 1997 and 2005 the Ford was refit with the different Davit.

So the question is, did the boat handling equipment change with the removal of the MK13? Is it accurate to have an RHIB on an OHP with a functioning Mk-13?

Update from the Outstanding @goatlockerchief on twitter, who informs us that the MWB on the pre-refit OHPs was a standard 26 Ft Mk 10, although it could also be a 26 Ft mk 8. this was replaced with a shipalt with RHIB and a COTS Slewing Arm Davit