Cyclone-class coastal patrol ship

The ''Cyclone''-class patrol ships are a class of coastal patrol boats, formerly in service with the United States Navy. Most of these ships, named for weather phenomenae, were launched between 1992 and 1994. The primary mission of these ships is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance, an important aspect of littoral operations outlined in the Navy's strategy, "Forward...From the Sea." These ships also provided full mission support for U.S. Navy SEALs and other special operations forces. Several ships of the class were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for a time and then later returned.

The ''Cyclone''-class ships were assigned to United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Of the 14 ships, nine originally operated out of the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia, and four originally operated from the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. These ships provide Naval Special Warfare with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to emergency requirements in a low intensity conflict environment. Six ships were decommissioned and loaned to the Coast Guard. Lead ship ''Cyclone'' was on loan from 2000 to 2004, then transferred to the Philippine Navy. ''Monsoon'' was loaned to the USCG in 2004 and ''Tempest'' in 2005, with both then returned in 2008. ''Shamal'', ''Tornado'', and ''Zephyr'' were on loan from 2004 to 2011. Upon return to the U.S. Navy they were all placed back in commission.

The ships that were on loan to the U.S. Coast Guard were used in a variety of roles, including search and rescue, interception, boarding, and inspection of foreign freighters arriving at United States ports.

In September 2010, the remaining ships of the class were recalled due to fatigue damage to their hulls. The class was designed for a lifespan of roughly 15 years. All but the newest member of the class, USS Tornado (PC-14), have been in service longer.

As of 2015, ten of the U.S. Navy's 13 ''Cyclone''-class patrol ships were deployed to Naval Support Activity Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, to deal with a potential conflict with Iran. The remaining three ships of the class are slated to be transferred to Naval Station Mayport in Florida to primarily perform drug interdiction duties with U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (USNAVSO) / U.S. Fourth Fleet.

In March 2023, the last of the ships in this class were decommissioned and either designated for sale to a foreign military via FMS or due to be scrapped.

Development and design

In the 1980s, the U.S. Navy developed a requirement for a replacement for the Vietnam War-era PB Mk III small () patrol boats used to transport SEAL teams. The first attempt to replace the PB Mk IIIs led to an order being placed in 1984 for a stealthy surface effect ship, the Special Warfare Craft, Medium, or SWCM, with a length of about and a displacement of . The SWCM, nicknamed "Sea Viking", was a failure, however, and construction of the prototype was abandoned in 1987.Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 627.Moore 1985, p. 734.Prézelin and Baker 1990, p. 828.

After the failure of the innovative SWCM, it was decided to replace the PB Mk IIIs with a simple development of an existing design rather than wait for an entirely new design to be produced and developed. Bollinger Shipyards proposed a development of the Vosper Thornycroft built for Oman and Kenya, and this was selected by the U.S. Navy.

At , the new design, at first designated PBC (Patrol Boat Coastal), and later PC, was much larger than the boats that they were to replace. It was planned to build 16 PBCs to replace the 17 PB Mk IIIs, with first deliveries expected in 1991. The program was stopped at 14 boats, however, as it was realised that the PC was too large for the SEAL delivery role.Baker 1998, pp. 1030–1031.

Operational career

Following the 2003 occupation of Iraq, the ''Cyclone''-class boats were deployed to guard Iraq's offshore oil terminal. When Iraq took over responsibility for the terminal's defense, in 2005, ten of the ''Cyclone''-class boats remained in the Persian Gulf, performing other patrol duties from its base in Manama, Bahrain.

On 30 March 2022, the Royal Bahrain Naval Force

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases