THE CUTTERS, BOATS, AND AIRCRAFT OF THE U.S. COAST

126

THE CUTTERS,

BOATS, AND

AIRCRAFT

OF THE

U.S. COAST

GUARD

PROFESSIONALLY AND PROFICIENTLY OPERATED BY THE MEN AND WOMEN

OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD, the service’s cutters, aircraft, and boats are stand-

ing by 24/7 to respond to safety and security threats in all weather condi-

tions, day or night. As the lead federal agency in the maritime domain for law

enforcement, incident response, homeland security, and disaster management,

these specialized capabilities enable the Coast Guard to save lives, protect the

environment, enforce federal laws on the high seas, and defend the homeland.

In recent years, the Coast Guard realized several achievements with recapi-

talizing its assets.

The service christened the sixth national security cutter (NSC), Munro, in

November 2015. The ﬁfth NSC, James, was commissioned in August 2015. The ser-

vice commissioned its 14th fast response cutter late in 2015, and 14 HC-27J aircraft

are being transferred from the Air Force and modiﬁed for Coast Guard missions.

Despite these milestones, ﬂeet and aircraft recapitalization timelines lag

service need, endangering the ability to be “Always Ready” to prepare for,

respond to, and quickly recover from major incidents. Moving forward, the

Coast Guard will thoughtfully pursue and achieve a balanced and executable

acquisition program for the deteriorating offshore, coastal, and inland assets.

127

129

COAST GUARD PHOTO

ICEBREAKERS

The Coast Guard operates three oceangoing icebreakers,

the newest of which, the CGC Healy (WAGB 20), commis-

sioned in July 2000, is the service’s largest ship. The Coast

Guard also operates one icebreaker on the Great Lakes – the

CGC Mackinaw (WLBB 30), which replaced an older ship of

the same name. Icebreakers are painted with an “icebreaker

red” hull to make them noticeable in ice-covered waters. One

oceangoing icebreaker, the Polar Sea, was scheduled to be

decommissioned and its parts used to help keep its sister,

Polar Star, in operation, but Congress blocked the move and

Polar Sea is still awaiting disposition.

Icebreakers, 420-foot Healy class (WAGB)

The Coast Guard’s largest ship, the CGC Healy, was launched

in 1997 and commissioned in 2000, joining the two Polar-class

icebreakers in their homeport of Seattle, Washington. The

Healy is designed to conduct a wide range of research activi-

ties, providing more than 4,200 square feet of scientiﬁc lab-

oratory space, numerous electronic sensor systems, oceano-

graphic winches, and accommodations for up to 50 scientists.

Healy is capable of breaking 4.5 feet of ice continuously

at 3 knots and can operate in temperatures as low as minus

50 degrees F. The scientiﬁc community provided invaluable

input on lab layouts and scientiﬁc capabilities during design

and construction of the ship.

As a Coast Guard cutter, the Healy is also a capable plat-

form for supporting other potential missions in the polar

regions, and is capable of accommodating two H-65 Dolphin

helicopters or one Dolphin and one H-60 Jayhawk helicopter.

• Length: 420 feet

• Beam: 82 feet

• Displacement: 16,000 tons

• Power plant: Four diesels, two shafts, 30,000

shaft horsepower (shp)

• Speed: 17 knots

• Range: 16,000 nautical miles at 12.5 knots;

37,000 miles at 9.25 knots

Vessel in this class:

• Healy (WAGB 20), Seattle, Washington

Icebreakers, 399-foot Polar class (WAGB)

The Polar-class icebreakers, built in the 1970s, were designed

for open-water ice breaking and have reinforced hulls, spe-

cial ice breaking bows, and a system that allows rapid shifting

of ballast to increase the effectiveness of their ice breaking.

These ships are capable of continuous progress through ice

6 feet thick at a speed of up to 3 knots. The CGCs Polar Sea

and Polar Star were built to serve in the Arctic and Antarctic,

supporting science and research as well as providing resupply

to remote stations, but their capabilities also enable them to

perform search and rescue, ship escort, environmental protec-

tion, and enforcement of laws and treaties in places most ships

cannot reach. They are fully equipped for helicopter berthing

and deck operations, and can carry two H-60 Jayhawks or H-65

Dolphins. Polar Star was reactivated in December 2012 after

three years of refurbishment and modernization. Polar Sea

remains laid up while its disposition is determined. The Coast

CGC Healy

130

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS RACHEL FRENCH / PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS GEORGE DEGENER

Guard is conducting requirements generation and associated

preliminary acquisition tasks for a new heavy icebreaker.

• Length: 399 feet

• Beam: 83.5 feet

• Displacement (28-foot draft): 13,194 tons full load

• Power plant: Six Alco diesels, 3,000 bhp each,

three gas turbines, 25,000 shp each, electric

drive, three shafts, 66,000 shp

• Speed: 18 knots

• Range: 16,000 nautical miles at 18 knots;

28,275 at 13 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Polar Star (WAGB 10), Seattle, Washington

• Polar Sea (WAGB 11), deactivated, Seattle, Washington

Icebreakers, 240-foot Great Lakes class (WLBB)

The CGC Mackinaw (WLBB 30), like its predecessor of the

same name, was designed speciﬁcally for the Great Lakes,

where its mission has been to keep the shipping lanes open

through as much of the winter as possible. Like the for-

mer Mackinaw (WAGB 83), the new ship is homeported in

Cheboygan, Michigan, and remains the only U.S. heavy ice

breaking resource assigned to the Great Lakes. The ship per-

forms ice breaking as well as ATON (aids to navigation), search

and rescue (SAR), law enforcement, and other missions. It has

a crew of nine ofﬁcers and 46 enlisted members.

The Mackinaw features state-of-the-art navigation, com-

munication, and security systems and is able to carry a smaller

crew than its namesake. The vessel also has a 20-ton crane for

servicing aids to navigation, and an oil spill recovery system

on board. It uses two podded propulsors and a bow thruster

to provide excellent maneuverability, and is designed to

break through 32 inches of ice at 3 knots.

• Length: 240 feet

• Beam: 58 feet, 6 inches

• Draft: 16 feet

• Displacement: 3,500 tons full load

• Power plant: Three 4,200-bhp ABT diesel

generators; two ABT 3,350-kw azipod

propulsion units

• Speed: 15 knots

• Range: 4,000 nautical miles

Vessel in this class:

• Mackinaw (WLBB 30), Cheboygan, Michigan

CUTTERS

The term “cutter” identiﬁes a Coast Guard vessel 65 feet

in length or greater, with accommodations for a crew to

live aboard. Major cutters like the national security cutter

are capable of carrying multiple cutterboat types, including

the over-the-horizon (CB-OTH-IV) rigid-hull inﬂatables, and

long-range interceptors (CB-LRI-11). Polar-class icebreakers

also carry an Arctic survey boat (ASB), a polar variant of the

CB-OTH-IV, and landing craft. Most cutters more than 200

feet in length are capable of accommodating helicopters.

National Security Cutter (NSC), 418-foot Legend class

The ﬁrst major cutter to join the Coast Guard as part of

the ﬂeet recapitalization plan, the national security cut-

ter is the largest and most technologically advanced of

the service’s new cutters. At 418 feet in length, capable of

speeds up to 28 knots, with a crew complement of 122 and

a displacement of 4,500 long tons, the Legend-class cut-

ters are capable of better seakeeping and higher sustained

speeds as well as greater endurance than legacy cutters.

CGC Polar Star

CGC Mackinaw

131

NORTHROP GRUMMAN PHOTO BY STEVE BLOUNT

The ships, being acquired by the Coast Guard Acquisition

Directorate, feature modern command, control, communi-

cations, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and recon-

naissance (C4ISR) capabilities and provide interoperability

with U.S. Navy systems and a common operational picture

to enhance maritime domain awareness. In addition to a

helicopter deck, the class has a stern ramp for launching

and recovering two classes of rigid-hull inﬂatable (RHIB)

cutterboats that deploy with the NSC: the 35-foot CB-LRI-II

and the 26-foot CB-OTH-IV. The NSC can carry a total of

three boats: one LRI-II and two CB-OTH-IVs. The ﬁrst cut-

ter, Bertholf, was commissioned Aug. 4, 2008, and com-

pleted its ﬁrst extended operations in 2009. The second

cutter, Waesche, was commissioned May 7, 2010. The third,

Stratton, was commissioned March 31, 2012. Hamilton, the

fourth NSC, was commissioned in December 2014. The ﬁfth,

James, was commissioned in August 2015. The sixth NSC,

Munro, was christened in November 2014, and the seventh,

Kimball, is under construction. The Coast Guard plans con-

struction of eight national security cutters.

The NSC is armed with a 57 mm/Mk. 110 gun, which is

also employed by the Navy’s littoral combat ships, and four

M2 .50-caliber machine guns. The NSC can accommodate

two H-65s, or one H-65 or H-60 and two vertically launched

unmanned aerial vehicles, or other combinations.

• Length: 418 feet

• Beam: 54 feet

• Displacement: 4,500 long tons full load

• Power plant: Combined diesel and gas (CODAG);

one 30,565 SHP gas turbine engine and two

9,655 HP diesel engines

• Speed: up to 28 knots

• Range: 12,000 nautical miles

• Armament: Mk. 110 57 mm gun; Phalanx 20 mm

close-in weapon system; Mk. 53 decoy launching system

(NULKA); and four M2 .50-caliber machine guns

Vessels in this class:

• Bertholf (WMSL 750), Alameda, California

• Waesche (WMSL 751), Alameda, California

• Stratton (WMSL 752), Alameda, California

• Hamilton (WMSL 753), Charleston, South Carolina

• James (WMSL 754) Charleston, South

Carolina

• Munro (WMSL 755), christened November

2015, future homeport Alameda, California

• Kimball (WMSL 756) under construction,

future homeport Honolulu, Hawaii

• Midgett (WMSL 757) planned; long lead-time

materials ordered, future homeport Honolulu, Hawaii

CGC Waesche

133

High Endurance Cutters,

378-foot Secretary class (WHEC)

Highly versatile and capable of performing a variety of mis-

sions, these cutters operate throughout the world’s oceans.

Because of their high endurance and their capabilities, sim-

ilar to those of Navy warships, Secretary-class cutters occa-

sionally deploy as part of Navy carrier battle groups. CGC

Hamilton (WHEC 715), commissioned in 1967, was ﬁrst of the

class, which formed the mainstay of the Coast Guard from the

1970s into the 2010s.

The Secretary-class cutters are ideally suited for long-range,

high-endurance missions, and for fulﬁlling the maritime security

role, which includes drug interdiction, illegal immigrant inter-

ception, and ﬁsheries patrol. The ships are powered by diesel

engines and gas turbines, in a combined diesel and gas (CODAG)

plant, and have controllable pitch propellers. Equipped with a

helicopter ﬂight deck, retractable hangar, and the facilities to

support helicopter deployment, these 12 cutters were intro-

duced to the Coast Guard inventory in the 1960s, and seven

remain in service. The entire class was modernized through

the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program

between 1985 and 1992, modernizing their helicopter ﬂight

deck facilities, radars and other sensors, and ﬁre-control systems.

With a crew of 160, each displaces 3,340 tons. Each is capa-

ble of accommodating a single HH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

Secretary-class cutters have been given upgraded C4ISR

capabilities under the Deepwater project. The Chase and

Hamilton were transferred to the Nigerian and Philippine

navies, respectively, in 2011. The Dallas and Jarvis were

decommissioned in 2012 and transferred to the Philippine

and Bangladeshi navies, respectively. Gallatin was decom-

missioned in March 2014 and has since been transferred to

the Nigerian navy. Rush transfered to the Bangladeshi navy

in May 2015. Ships of the class will continue to be retired as

national security cutters enter the ﬂeet.

• Length: 378 feet

• Beam: 43 feet

• Displacement: 3,340 tons full load

• Power plant: Two diesel engines 3,500 bhp each/two gas

turbine engines 18,000 shp each, two shafts 36,000 shp

• Speed: 29 knots

• Range: 2,400 nautical miles at 29 knots or 9,600

miles at 19 knots (on gas turbines); 12,000

nautical miles at 14 knots (on diesels)

• Armament: One Mk. 75 76 mm gun; two Mk. 38

25 mm guns; one Phalanx CIWS; two .50-caliber

machine guns; two SRBOC launchers

Vessels in this class:

• Mellon (WHEC 717), Seattle, Washington

• Boutwell (WHEC 719), San Diego, California

• Sherman (WHEC 720), San Diego, California

• Morgenthau (WHEC 722), Honolulu, Hawaii

• Munro (WHEC 724), Kodiak, Alaska

• Midgett (WHEC 726), Seattle, Washington

Offshore Patrol Cutter

Offshore patrol cutters (OPCs) will provide the midrange

capability in the Coast Guard’s layered defense concept,

ﬁlling the role between the NSC and FRC and replacing

the service’s two classes of aging medium endurance cut-

ters. The OPC is to feature increased range and endurance,

more powerful weapons, a larger ﬂight deck, and improved

C4ISR equipment, and will accommodate aircraft and boat

operations in higher sea states. Using a two-phase acqui-

sition strategy that emphasizes affordability as a major

requirement, the service awarded three Phase I contracts in

February 2014 for preliminary and contract design (P&CD)

to Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC (Lockport, Louisiana);

Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. (Panama City, Florida); and

General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works (Bath, Maine). At the

end of the 18-month Phase I period, the Coast Guard will

select one team to develop Phase II detail design and con-

struction of the ﬁrst OPC of a planned 25-ship class.

295-foot Cutter Eagle (WIX)

The tall ship Eagle is a three-masted sailing barque with

21,350 square feet of sail, homeported at the Coast Guard

Academy, New London, Connecticut. It is the only active

(operational) commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. mari-

time services. Seventh in a line of cutters to bear its name, the

CGC Eagle was built in 1936 by Blohm and Voss in Hamburg,

Germany, as a training vessel for German naval cadets.

CGC Midgett

CGC Eagle

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 1ST CLASS LEVI READ / U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS PATRICK KELLEY

134

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS JESSE KRISTOFFERSON

It was taken as a war prize in 1946, commissioned into Coast

Guard service as the Eagle, and sailed from Bremerhaven,

Germany, to New London, Connecticut. The Eagle serves as a

seagoing classroom for approximately 175 cadets and instruc-

tors from the academy. On the Eagle, cadets apply the navi-

gation, engineering, and other skills they develop in classes

at the academy.

Eagle’s hull is built of steel, four-tenths of an inch thick. It

has two full-length steel decks with a platform deck below

and a raised forecastle and quarterdeck. The weatherdecks

are 3-inch-thick teak over steel. When at home, the Eagle is

moored at the Fort Trumbull State Park on the Thames River.

Eagle began the ﬁrst phase of a four-year reﬁt and renova-

tion program at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland,

Sept. 26. The work will proceed in phases so that training

periods at sea can continue. The ﬁrst phase includes main-

tenance of the rudder, hull and rigging, lead ballast replace-

ment, and berthing area renovations.

• Length: 295 feet

• Beam: 39 feet

• Displacement: 1,824 tons full load

• Power plant: Diesel, one shaft, 1,000 bhp,

21,350-square-foot sail area

• Speed: 10 knots under power;

• 16 knots under sail

• Range: 5,450 nautical miles under power

Vessel in this class:

• Eagle (WIX 327), New London, Connecticut

(reﬁtting at Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay,

Maryland)

Medium Endurance Cutter

282-foot Alex Haley class (WMEC)

The cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) is a one-of-a-kind Coast

Guard ship, named for the service’s ﬁrst chief journalist, who

later wrote Roots and won a Pulitzer Prize.

Commissioned in 1971 as the Navy salvage and rescue ship

USS Edenton (ATS 1), the vessel was transferred to the Coast

Guard in November 1997 for conversion into a medium endur-

ance cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are law enforce-

ment, domestic ﬁsheries enforcement, and SAR in Alaskan

waters. With a crew of 99, the ship can accommodate a single

H-65 Dolphin or MH-60 Jayhawk.

• Length: 282 feet

• Beam: 50 feet

• Displacement: 3,000 tons full load

• Power plant: Four Caterpillar diesels, two shafts;

bow thruster

• Speed: 16 knots

• Range: 10,000 nautical miles at 13 knots

• Armament: Two Mk. 38 25 mm cannons; two

.50-caliber machine guns

Vessel in this class:

• Alex Haley (WMEC 39), Kodiak, Alaska

Medium Endurance Cutter

270-foot Famous class (WMEC)

The ﬁrst of 13 Famous-class cutters, the Bear (WMEC 901),

entered service in 1983, and these ships have become a famil-

iar sight on the world’s oceans ever since. Together with the

CGC Alex Haley

135

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER BILL MESTA

14 Reliance-class vessels, Famous-class cutters are the ser-

vice’s primary tools for law enforcement, counterdrug, and

SAR missions. These ships are the most modern and advanced

medium endurance cutters, with a modern weapons and sen-

sor suite. They have long been equipped with a Command,

Display, and Control (COMDAC) computerized ship control

system that was signiﬁcantly updated in the 1990s and makes

these ships effective with smaller crews. Famous-class ships

operate with a crew of 100.

Armament includes a Mk. 75 76 mm fully automatic gun

capable of ﬁring up to 80 rounds per minute. The Shipboard

Command and Control System (SCCS) uses radar, LORAN

(long range navigation), and GPS (Global Positioning System)

technologies. SCCS is an integrated and sophisticated sys-

tem that brings the ship’s electronic resources together to

facilitate operations.

Famous-class cutters are able to land, launch, and service

the H-65 Dolphin, and some can also operate the Jayhawk.

A Dolphin and a ﬁve-member aviation detachment usually

deploy with the ship. The cutter’s active stabilization sys-

tem extends the operating parameters of the cutter aircraft

team by providing a stable platform for ﬂight evolutions

during rough sea conditions. This allows the cutters to serve

the vital role of search and rescue in almost any storm or

location. For law enforcement boardings, these cutters carry

a 23-foot over-the-horizon cutterboat and a 19-foot rigid-

hull inﬂatable boat.

Under the Mission Effectiveness Project (MEP), Famous-

class cutters received capability enhancements, major main-

tenance, and replacement of obsolete, unsupportable, or

maintenance-intensive equipment, which included install-

ing improved C4ISR suites. The Reliance-class ships also

underwent MEP. All 270-foot cutters ﬁnished their MEP in

September 2014, ensuring their operational reliability until

their replacement by the offshore patrol cutter.

• Length: 270 feet

• Beam: 38 feet

• Displacement: 1,820 tons full load

• Power plant: Two 3,650-hp V-18 Alco diesel engines,

two shafts

• Speed: 20 knots

• Range: Just under 3,800 nautical miles at 19.5

knots; 9,900 nautical miles at 12 knots

• Armament: One Mk. 75 76 mm gun, two .50-caliber

machine guns, two SRBOC launchers

Vessels in this class:

• Bear (WMEC 901), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Tampa (WMEC 902), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Harriet Lane (WMEC 903), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Northland (WMEC 904), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Spencer (WMEC 905), Boston, Massachusetts

• Seneca (WMEC 906), Boston, Massachusetts

• Escanaba (WMEC 907), Boston, Massachusetts

• Tahoma (WMEC 908), Kittery, Maine

• Campbell (WMEC 909), Kittery, Maine

• Thetis (WMEC 910), Key West, Florida

• Forward (WMEC 911), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Legare (WMEC 912), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Mohawk (WMEC 913), Key West, Florida

Seagoing Buoy Tender, 225-foot Juniper class (WLB)

Juniper-class buoy tenders are seagoing Coast Guard cut-

ters responsible for maintaining short- and long-range ATON

such as ﬁxed structures and buoys. They have replaced the

aging Balsam class of World War II-era buoy tenders. Buoy

tenders provide light ice breaking in ice-laden domestic

waters. Buoy tenders are multi-mission vessels, and conduct

maritime law enforcement, homeland security, and defense

CGC Thetis

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTOGRAPHS

operations, as well as provide search and rescue assistance

should the need arise.

The 225-foot Juniper’s twin diesel engine propulsion sys-

tem supplies the speed and maneuverability necessary to

tend coastal and offshore buoys in exposed locations. Perhaps

the most important advance is the use of a new Dynamic

Positioning System (DPS). DPS uses a differential GPS to ﬁx

positions. Using this technology, the crews are able to main-

tain the vessel’s position within a 10-meter circle in winds

of up to 30 knots and waves of up to 8 feet. The Juniper-

class cutters are to undergo mid-life renovation under the

In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) project.

• Length: 225 feet

• Beam: 46 feet

• Displacement: 2,000 tons

• Buoy deck area: 2,875 square feet

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar 3608 diesels, one shaft,

6,200 bhp

• Speed: 15 knots

• Range: 6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots

• Armament: Two .50-caliber machine guns

Vessels in this class:

• Juniper (WLB 201), Newport, Rhode Island

• Willow (WLB 202), Newport, Rhode Island

• Kukui (WLB 203), Honolulu, Hawaii

• Elm (WLB 204), Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

• Walnut (WLB 205), Honolulu, Hawaii

• Spar (WLB 206), Kodiak, Alaska

• Maple (WLB 207), Sitka, Alaska

• Aspen (WLB 208), San Francisco, California

• Sycamore (WLB 209), Cordova, Alaska

• Cypress (WLB 210), Pensacola, Florida

• Oak (WLB 211), Charleston, South Carolina

• Hickory (WLB 212) Homer, Alaska

• Fir (WLB 213), Astoria, Oregon

• Hollyhock (WLB 214), Port Huron, Michigan

• Sequoia (WLB 215), Apra Harbor, Guam

• Alder (WLB 216), Duluth, Minnesota

Medium Endurance Cutter, 210-foot Reliance class

(WMEC)

The 14 Reliance-class cutters work alongside the Famous-

class ships, carrying out primarily law enforcement and search

CGC Spar

CGC Diligence

and rescue missions. The 210-foot ships were the ﬁrst true

post-World War II Coast Guard cutters. Outwardly, these ships

reﬂect evolving Coast Guard operations during the latter part

of the 20th century – sleek lines, ﬂight decks, and a high pilot-

house giving the bridge crew excellent all-around visibility.

They do not have a helicopter hangar but can operate a single

H-65 Dolphin on deck. It has a crew complement of 77.

Although lightly armed, these cutters were designed to

carry additional armament including a 3-inch gun, a total of

six .50-caliber machine guns, an SQS-17 sonar (later sugges-

tions included using an SQS-36), an anti-submarine projec-

tor (Hedgehog), and/or two torpedo launchers. None of this

armament was ever actually installed.

From 1986 to 1996, ships of this class underwent a midlife

maintenance availability to upgrade machinery and equip-

ment. There were 16 Reliance-class cutters, but budget cuts

prompted the decommissioning of the Courageous (WMEC

622) and the Durable (WMEC 628) in 2001.

To prolong the longevity of the remaining cutters, the

Coast Guard began the MEP in 2005 to increase operational

availability by installing capability enhancements, perform-

ing major maintenance, and replacing obsolete, unsupport-

able, or maintenance-intensive equipment. The successful

conclusion of the MEP in September 2014 ensures the opera-

tional reliability of these cutters until replacement by the off-

shore patrol cutter.

• Length: 210 feet

• Beam: 34 feet

• Displacement: 1,000 tons

• Power plant: Two Alco 16V-251 diesel engines,

two shafts, 5,000 bhp

• Speed: 18 knots

• Range: 6,100 nautical miles at 12 knots

• Armament: One Mk. 38 25 mm cannon and two

.50-caliber machine guns

Vessels in this class:

• Reliance (WMEC 615), Kittery, Maine

• Diligence (WMEC 616), Wilmington, North Carolina

• Vigilant (WMEC 617), Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

• Active (WMEC 618), Port Angeles, Washington

• Conﬁdence (WMEC 619), Port Canaveral, Florida

• Resolute (WMEC 620), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Valiant (WMEC 621), Miami Beach, Florida

• Steadfast (WMEC 623), Warrenton, Oregon 137

138

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO / U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS TOM ATKESON

• Dauntless (WMEC 624), Galveston, Texas

• Venturous (WMEC 625), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Dependable (WMEC 626), Little Creek, Virginia

• Vigorous (WMEC 627), Little Creek, Virginia

• Decisive (WMEC 629), Pascagoula, Mississippi

• Alert (WMEC 630), Warrenton, Oregon

Coastal Buoy Tender, 175-foot Keeper class (WLM)

The 175-foot Keeper-class coastal buoy tenders are a new

era in buoy tending, equipped with Z-drive propulsion units

instead of the standard propeller and rudder conﬁguration.

The propulsion units are designed to independently rotate

360 degrees. Combined with a thruster in the bow, they give

the Keeper-class cutters unmatched maneuverability.

With state-of-the-art electronics and navigation systems

including DPS, which uses differential GPS and electronic

chart displays, it is possible to maneuver and position navi-

gation aids with a smaller crew. Carrying a crew of 24, ships

in this class are named for well-known lighthouse keepers.

Although not classiﬁed as icebreakers, these ships can move

through 9 inches of ice at 3 knots.

• Length: 175 feet

• Beam: 36 feet

• Displacement: 845 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar 3508TA diesels,

two Ulstein Z-drive, 2,040 bhp

• Speed: 12 knots

• Range: 2,000 nautical miles at 10 knots

CGC George Cobb

Vessels in this class:

• Ida Lewis (WLM 551), Newport, Rhode Island

• Katherine Walker (WLM 552), Bayonne, New Jersey

• Abbie Burgess (WLM 553), Rockland, Maine

• Marcus Hanna (WLM 554), South Portland, Maine

• James Rankin (WLM 555), Baltimore, Maryland

• Joshua Appleby (WLM 556), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Frank Drew (WLM 557), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Anthony Petit (WLM 558), Ketchikan, Alaska

• Barbara Mabrity (WLM 559), Mobile, Alabama

• William Tate (WLM 560), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Harry Claiborne (WLM 561), Galveston, Texas

• Maria Bray (WLM 562), Atlantic Beach, Florida

• Henry Blake (WLM 563), Everett, Washington

• George Cobb (WLM 564), San Pedro, California

CGC Pamlico

139

COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS SETH JOHNSON

Inland Construction Tenders (WLIC)

The Coast Guard’s inland construction tenders are broken

into three classes, all designed for the construction, repair,

and maintenance of ﬁxed ATON and all operating on inland

waters. The 160-foot WLICs are single units without barges.

The 75-foot WLICs push either a 68- or 84-foot construction

barge. The one 100-foot WLIC pushes a 70-foot construction

barge. The barges are equipped with cranes and other ATON

equipment to drive piles and work the smaller-sized buoys.

The earliest of these tenders date to the 1940s and have

crews of 13 to 15.

160-FOOT WLIC CLASS:

• Length: 160 feet

• Beam: 30 feet

• Displacement: 411 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar D379 diesels, two shafts,

1,000 bhp

• Speed: 11 knots

• Range: 1,205 nautical miles at 6.5 knots

Vessels in the 160-foot WLIC class:

• Pamlico (WLIC 800), New Orleans, Louisiana

• Hudson (WLIC 801), Miami Beach, Florida

• Kennebec (WLIC 802), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Saginaw (WLIC 803), Mobile, Alabama

100-FOOT WLIC CLASS:

• Length: 100 feet

• Beam: 24 feet

• Displacement: 178 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar 3412, two shafts, 1250 bhp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 1,200 nautical miles at 7 knots

Vessel in the 100-foot WLIC class:

• Smilax (WLIC 315, oldest commissioned cutter),

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

75-FOOT WLIC CLASS:

• Length: 75 feet

• Beam: 22 feet

• Displacement: 145 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar D353, two shafts, 750 hp; or

two Caterpillar 3412 or V1312TI, two shafts, 1,250-1,350 hp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 1,050-1,300 nautical miles at 9 knots;

2,400-2,500 nautical miles at 5 knots

Vessels in the 75-foot WLIC class:

• Anvil (WLIC 75301), Charleston, South Carolina

• Hammer (WLIC 75302), Mayport, Florida

• Sledge (WLIC 75303), Baltimore, Maryland

• Mallet (WLIC 75304), Corpus Christi, Texas

• Vise (WLIC 75305), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Clamp (WLIC 75306), Galveston, Texas

• Hatchet (WLIC 75309), Galveston, Texas

• Axe (WLIC 75310), Morgan City, Louisiana

Ice Breaking Tug, 140-foot Bay class (WTGB)

The 140-foot Bay-class cutters are single-screw tugs used

primarily for domestic ice breaking duties. They are named

after American bays and are stationed mainly in the north-

eastern United States and the Great Lakes. They use a low-

pressure-air hull lubrication or bubbler system that forces air

and water between the hull and ice. This system improves

ice breaking capabilities by reducing resistance against the

hull, thereby reducing horsepower requirements. A 120-foot

ATON barge augments the CGCs Bristol Bay and Mobile Bay.

The Bay-class cutters have begun a mid-life renovation pro-

gram under the In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) project

to renew the most elderly or vulnerable components.

• Length: 140 feet

• Beam: 37.5 feet

• Displacement: 662 tons full load

• Power plant: Two Fairbanks-Morse diesel

engines, electric drive, one shaft, 2,500 shp

• Speed: 14.7 knots

• Range: 1,500 nautical miles at 14.7 knots; 4,000

nautical miles at 12 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Katmai Bay (WTGB 101), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

• Bristol Bay (WTGB 102), Detroit, Michigan

• Mobile Bay (WTGB 103), Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

• Biscayne Bay (WTGB 104), St. Ignace, Michigan

• Neah Bay (WTGB 105), Cleveland, Ohio

• Morro Bay (WTGB 106), New London, Connecticut

• Penobscot Bay (WTGB 107), Bayonne, New Jersey

• Thunder Bay (WTGB 108), Rockland, Maine

• Sturgeon Bay (WTGB 109), Bayonne, New Jersey

River Buoy Tenders (WLR)

The Coast Guard operates 18 tenders of 75-foot and 65-foot

lengths on rivers in the western United States, deploying

ATON buoys and day boards to mark river channels and to ease

CGC Penobscot Bay

the efﬁcient ﬂow of commerce. WLRs push barges equipped

with cranes that work ATON. Some WLRs are equipped with

“jetting” devices that are used to set and anchor buoys in

rivers with sandy or muddy bottoms. The barges are an inte-

gral part of the ATON mission. Barge lengths vary: 90 feet, 99

feet, and 130 feet.

75-FOOT KANKAKEE-CLASS RIVER BUOY TENDERS:

• Length: 75 feet

• Beam: 22 feet

• Displacement: 175 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar 3412 diesels,

two shafts, 1,024 bhp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 600 nautical miles at 10 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Kankakee (WLR 75500), Memphis, Tennessee

• Greenbrier (WLR 75501), Natchez, Mississippi

75-FOOT GASCONADE-CLASS RIVER BUOY TENDERS:

• Length: 75 feet

• Beam: 22 feet

• Displacement: 140 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar D353 diesels,

two shafts, 660-750 hp; or two Caterpillar

3412, two shafts, 1,250 hp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 3,100 nautical miles at 6.5 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Wedge (WLR 75307), Demopolis, Alabama

• Gasconade (WLR 75401), Omaha, Nebraska

• Muskingum (WLR 75402), Sallislaw, Oklahoma

• Wyaconda (WLR 75403), Dubuque, Iowa

• Chippewa (WLR 75404), Buchanan, Tennessee

• Cheyenne (WLR 75405), St. Louis, Missouri

• Kickapoo (WLR 75406), Vicksburg, Mississippi

USCGAUX PHOTO BY LEN SCHULTE / U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY SEAMAN PAUL JIRASEK

CGC Sangamon

140

CGC Greenbrier

141

CGC Elderberry

USCG PHOTO

• Kanawha (WLR 75407), Pine Bluff, Arkansas

• Patoka (WLR 75408), Greenville, Mississippi

• Chena (WLR 75409), Hickman, Kentucky

65-FOOT CLASS RIVER BUOY TENDERS:

• Length: 65 feet

• Beam: 21 feet

• Displacement: 145 tons

• Power plant: Two Caterpillar D353 diesels,

two shafts, 660-725 hp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 3,500 nautical miles at 6 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Ouachita (WLR 65501), Chattanooga, Tennessee

• Cimarron (WLR 65502), Buchanan, Tennessee

• Obion (WLR 65503), Owensboro, Kentucky

• Scioto (WLR 65504), Keokuk, Iowa

• Osage (WLR 65505), Sewickley, Pennsylvania

• Sangamon (WLR 65506), East Peoria, Illinois

Inland Buoy Tenders, large-small (WLI)

100-FOOT INLAND BUOY TENDERS:

• Length: 100 feet

• Beam: 24 feet

• Displacement: 174 tons full load

• Power plant: Two diesels, two shafts, 600-660 bhp

• Speed: 10.5 knots

• Range: 2,000-2,700 nautical miles at 7 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Bluebell (WLI 313), Portland, Oregon

• Buckthorn (WLI 642), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

65-FOOT INLAND BUOY TENDERS:

• Length: 65 feet

• Beam: 17 feet

• Displacement: 71 tons

• Power plant: Two GM diesels, two shafts, 400 hp (WLI

65401); one GM diesel, one shaft, 300 hp (WLI 65303)

• Speed: 9 knots (WLI 65303); 11.3 knots (WLI 65401)

• Range: 1,700 nautical miles at 6 knots; 1,500

nautical miles at 5 knots (WLI 65303)

Vessels in this class:

• Bayberry (WLI 65400), Long Beach, North Carolina

• Elderberry (WLI 65401), Petersburg, Alaska

PATROL BOATS

The diverse range of Coast Guard duties is reﬂected dramati-

cally by the number and variety of its patrol boats, which are

assigned to most of the service’s missions. Island-class cutters

are high-speed vessels that offer an operating radius of almost

1,000 nautical miles, making them highly effective for illegal

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS MARK BARNEY

immigrant interdiction operations (AMIO) and a range of other

duties. However, the Island class are aging, and are being

replaced by the fast response cutter. Eighty-seven-foot Marine

Protector-class vessels have an IEBS (integrated electronic

bridge system) and a stern-launched rigid-hull inﬂatable boat

useful for various duties including carrying boarding crews.

Fast Response Cutter (WPC), 154-foot Sentinel class

The Sentinel class is a key component of the Coast Guard’s

recapitalized ﬂeet and is critically needed to replace the aging

110-foot Island-class patrol boat ﬂeet. The ﬁrst cutter in this

class, Bernard C. Webber, was delivered in February 2012. To

honor past Coast Guard members, each cutter in this class will

be named for one of the service’s many enlisted heroes.

These cutters will be able to deploy independently to

conduct the service’s missions, such as port, waterway, and

coastal security; ﬁshery patrols; drug and illegal immigrant

law enforcement; SAR; and national defense operations.

The cutters’ C4ISR suites will be completely interoperable

with U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Department of Defense, and

Department of Homeland Security assets.

The 154-foot cutters have a speed of more than 28 knots,

and are based on an existing patrol boat design from

Damen Shipyards. This vessel class is planned for a total of

58 patrol boats.

• Manufacturer: Bollinger Shipyards Inc.

• Parent craft designer: Damen

• Length: 154 feet

• Beam: 25 feet

• Displacement: 353 metric tons

• Power plant: Two 4,300 Kw MTU diesel engines

• Speed: 28-plus knots

• Endurance: ﬁve days

• Crew: 24 (four ofﬁcers, 20 enlisted)

• Armament: One stabilized 25 mm machine gun

mount and four non-stabilized crew-served

.50-caliber machine guns

Vessels in this class:

• Bernard C. Webber (WPC 1101), Miami Beach, Florida

• Richard Etheridge (WPC 1102), Miami Beach, Florida

• William Flores (WPC 1103), Miami Beach, Florida

• Robert Yered (WPC 1104), Miami Beach, Florida

• Margaret Norvell (WPC 1105), Miami Beach, Florida

• Paul Clark (WPC 1106), Miami Beach, Florida

• Charles David Jr. (WPC 1107), Key West, Florida

• Charles Sexton (WPC 1108), Key West, Florida

• Kathleen Moore (WPC 1109), Key West, Florida

• Raymond Evans (WPC 1110), Key West, Florida

• William Trump (1111) , Key West, Florida

• Isaac Mayo (1112) Key West, Florida

• Richard Dixon (1113) San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Heriberto Hernandez (1114) San Juan, Puerto Rico

Under Construction:

• Joseph Napier (1115), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Winslow Griesser (1116) San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Richard Patterson (1117), San Juan, Puerto Rico142

CGC Bernard C. Webber

• Joseph Tezanos (1118), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Rollin Fritch (1119) Pascagoula, Mississippi

• Lawrence Lawson (1120) Pascagoula, Mississippi

• John McCormick (1121), Ketchikan, Alaska

• Bailey Barco (1122), ordered, Ketchikan, Alaska

• Benjamin Dailey (1123 ) ordered

• Donald Horsley (1124) ordered

• Jacob Poroo (1125 ) ordered

Patrol Boat, 110-foot Island class (WPB)

The Coast Guard 110-foot Island-class patrol boats are

modiﬁed versions of a well-regarded British-designed patrol

boat. These ships have excellent range and seakeeping capa-

bilities, but are wearing out rapidly and are to be replaced by

the fast response cutter.

Seventeen 110-foot WPBs were renovated under the Mission

Effectiveness Project (MEP) to ensure the 110-foot WPB ﬂeet

remains a reliable entity until the arrival of the FRC. The

MEP was completed in 2012. Built in the late 1980s, they are

equipped with advanced electronics and navigation equipment.

WPBs are being decommissioned as more fast response cutters

join the ﬂeet.

• Length: 110 feet

• Beam: 21 feet

• Displacement: 154-165 tons

• Power plant: Two Alco-Paxman Valenta diesel engines,

5,820 bhp; WPB 1338-1349: Caterpillar 3516 diesel

engines, 5,460 bhp

• Speed: 28 to 30 knots

• Range: 3,380 nautical miles at 8 knots

• Armament: One Mk. 38 25 mm cannon;

two .50-caliber machine guns

Vessels in this class:

• Farallon (WPB 1301), Valder, Alaska

• Maui (WPB 1304), Manama, Bahrain

• Ocracoke (WPB 1307), South Portland, Maine

• Aquidneck (WPB 1309), Manama, Bahrain

• Mustang (WPB 1310), Seward, Alaska

• Naushon (WPB 1311), Ketchikan, Alaska

• Sanibel (WPB 1312), Woods Hole, Massachusetts

• Edisto (WPB 1313), San Diego, California

• Sapelo (WPB 1314), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Matinicus (WPB 1315), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Nantucket (WPB 1316), Atlantic Beach, North

Carolina

• Baranof (WPB 1318), Manama, Bahrain

• Chandeleur (WPB 1319), Ketchikan, Alaska

• Cushing (WPB 1321), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Cuttyhunk (WPB 1322), Port Angeles, Washington

• Drummond (WPB 1323), Miami, Florida [San Juan, PR?]

• Key Largo (WPB 1324), San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Monomoy (WPB 1326), Manama, Bahrain

• Orcas (WPB 1327), Coos Bay, Oregon

• Sitkinak (WPB 1329), Miami, Florida [Bayonne, NJ?]

• Tybee (WPB 1330), Woods Hole, Massachusetts

• Washington (WPB 1331), Apra Harbor, Guam

• Wrangell (WPB 1332), Manama, Bahrain

• Adak (WPB 1333), Manama, Bahrain

• Liberty (WPB 1334), Auke Bay, Alaska

• Anacapa (WPB 1335), Petersburg, Alaska

• Kiska (WPB 1336), Hilo, Hawaii

• Assateague (WPB 1337), Apra Harbor, Guam

• Grand Isle (WPB 1338), Gloucester, Massachusetts

• Key Biscayne (WPB 1339), Key West, Florida

• Kodiak Island (WPB 1341), Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

• Galveston Island (WPB 1349) Honolulu, Hawaii

143

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO/PA3 ROB SIMPSON

CGC Liberty

144

Coastal Patrol Boat (WPB),

87-foot Marine Protector class

The Marine Protector is an innovative, multi-mission class

of vessel capable of performing search and rescue, law

enforcement, ﬁshery patrols, drug interdiction, illegal immi-

grant interdiction, and homeland security duties up to 200

miles offshore. The 73 cutters in this class carry an 11-per-

son crew and are capable of achieving a maximum continu-

ous speed of 25 knots. The class offers numerous improve-

ments over the former 82-foot Point-class vessels, including

improved seakeeping abilities (up to sea state 5), enhanced

habitability, and compliance with current and projected envi-

ronmental protection laws. The Marine Protector class also

employs an innovative stern launch and recovery system using

aluminum-hulled cutterboats propelled by inboard diesel-

powered waterjets. The vastly larger pilothouse is equipped

with an integrated bridge system, including an ECDIS (elec-

tronic chart display system), which interfaces with surface

search radars used by U.S. warships. Four were built speciﬁ-

cally to protect Navy ballistic missile submarines while they

are in transit in and out of Kings Bay, Georgia, and Bangor,

Washington. Production was completed in 2009.

• Length: 87 feet

• Beam: 19.4 feet

• Displacement: 91 tons full load

• Speed: 25 knots

• Range: 900 nautical miles

• Power plant: Two MTU 8V diesel engines

Vessels in this class:

• Barracuda (WPB 87301), Eureka, California

• Hammerhead (WPB 87302), Woods Hole, Massachusetts

• Mako (WPB 87303), Cape May, New Jersey

• Marlin (WPB 87304), Fort Myers Beach, Florida

• Stingray (WPB 87305), Mobile, Alabama

• Dorado (WPB 87306), Crescent City, California

• Osprey (WPB 87307), Port Townsend, Washington

• Chinook (WPB 87308), New London, Connecticut

• Albacore (WPB 87309), Little Creek, Virginia

• Tarpon (WPB 87310), Tybee Island, Georgia

• Cobia (WPB 87311), Mobile, Alabama

• Hawksbill (WPB 87312), Monterey, California

• Cormorant (WPB 87313), Fort Pierce, Florida

• Finback (WPB 87314), Cape May, New Jersey

• Amberjack (WPB 87315), Port Isabel, Texas

• Kittiwake (WPB 87316), Honolulu, Hawaii

• Blackﬁn (WPB 87317), Santa Barbara, California

• Blueﬁn (WPB 87318), Fort Pierce, Florida

• Yellowﬁn (WPB 87319), Charleston, South Carolina

• Manta (WPB 87320), Freeport, Texas

• Coho (WPB 87321), Panama City, Florida

• Kingﬁsher (WPB 87322), Mayport, Florida

• Seahawk (WPB 87323), Carrabelle, Florida

• Steelhead (WPB 87324), Port Aransas, Texas

• Beluga (WPB 87325), Little Creek, Virginia

• Blacktip (WPB 87326), Oxnard, California

• Pelican (WPB 87327), Abbeville, Louisiana

• Ridley (WPB 87328), Montauk, New York

• Cochito (WPB 87329), Little Creek, Virginia

• Manowar (WPB 87330), Galveston, Texas

• Moray (WPB 87331), Jonesport, Maine

• Razorbill (WPB 87332), Gulfport, Mississippi

• Adelie (WPB 87333), Port Angeles, Washington

• Gannet (WPB 87334), Dania, Florida

• Narwhal (WPB 87335), Corona Del Mar, California

• Sturgeon (WPB 87336), Grand Isle, Louisiana

• Sockeye (WPB 87337), Bodega Bay, California

CGC Crocodile

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO/PA3 ROB SIMPSON

145

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PA3 ANNIE R. BERLIN

• Ibis (WPB 87338), Cape May, New Jersey

• Pompano (WPB 87339), Gulfport, Mississippi

• Halibut (WPB 87340), Marina Del Rey, California

• Bonito (WPB 87341), Pensacola, Florida

• Shrike (WPB 87342), Port Canaveral, Florida

• Tern (WPB 87343), San Francisco, California

• Heron (WPB 87344), Sabine, Texas

• Wahoo (WPB 87345), Port Angeles, Washington

• Flyingﬁsh (WPB 87346), Boston, Massachusetts

• Haddock (WPB 87347), San Diego, California

• Brant (WPB 87348), Corpus Christi, Texas

• Shearwater (WPB 87349), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Petrel (WPB 87350), San Diego, California

• Sea Lion (WPB 87352), Bellingham, Washington

• Skipjack (WPB 87353), Galveston, Texas

• Dolphin (WPB 87354), Miami, Florida

• Hawk (WPB 87355), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Sailﬁsh (WPB 87356), Sandy Hook, New Jersey

• Sawﬁsh (WPB 87357), Key West, Florida

• Swordﬁsh (WPB 87358), Port Angeles, Washington

• Tiger Shark (WPB 87359), Newport, Rhode Island

• Blue Shark (WPB 87360), Everett, Washington

• Sea Horse (WPB 87361), Portsmouth, Virginia

• Sea Otter (WPB 87362), San Diego, California

• Manatee (WPB 87363), Corpus Christi, Texas

• Ahi (WPB 87364), Honolulu, Hawaii

• Pike (WPB 87365), San Francisco, California

• Terrapin (WPB 87366), Bellingham, Washington

• Sea Dragon (WPB 87367), Kings Bay, Georgia

(Navy owned)

• Sea Devil (WPB 87368), Bangor, Washington (Navy owned)

• Crocodile (WPB 87369), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Diamondback (WPB 87370), Miami Beach, Florida

• Reef Shark (WPB 87371), San Juan, Puerto Rico

CGC Hawser

• Alligator (WPB 87372), St. Petersburg, Florida

• Sea Dog (WPB 87373), Kings Bay, Georgia (Navy owned)

• Sea Fox (WPB 87374), Bangor, Washington

(Navy owned)

65-foot Small Harbor Tug (WYTL)

Built between 1962 and 1967, the small, 65-foot harbor

tugs are multi-mission cutters that have the distinction of

being used only on the East Coast, from Maine to Virginia.

With a crew of six, their primary missions are domestic ice

breaking, port security, search and rescue, and law enforce-

ment operations on rivers and in littoral areas. They are capa-

ble of breaking ice up to 12 inches thick.

• Length: 65 feet

• Beam: 16 feet

• Displacement: 72 tons full load

• Power plant: One diesel, one shaft, 500 bhp

• Speed: 10 knots

• Range: 850 nautical miles at 9.8 knots; 2,700

nautical miles at 5.8 knots

Vessels in this class:

• Capstan (WYTL 65601), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Chock (WYTL 65602), Baltimore, Maryland

• Tackle (WYTL 65604), Rockland, Maine

• Bridle (WYTL 65607), Southwest Harbor, Maine

• Pendant (WYTL 65608), Boston, Massachusetts

• Shackle (WYTL 65609), South Portland, Maine

• Hawser (WYTL 65610), Bayonne, New Jersey

• Line (WYTL 65611), Bayonne, New Jersey

• Wire (WYTL 65612), Saugerties, New York

• Bollard (WYTL 65614), New Haven, Connecticut

• Cleat (WYTL 65615), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

BOATS

Coast Guard vessels under 65 feet in length are classiﬁed

as boats and usually operate near shore, on inland water-

ways, or attached to cutters. The service has about 1,680

altogether, although the number ﬂuctuates. These craft

include heavy weather response boats, special purpose

craft, ATON boats, and cutter-based boats. Sizes range from

64 feet in length down to 12 feet. The new emphasis on

homeland security has produced a corresponding empha-

sis on smaller, fast boats such as the Response Boat-Small

and Response Boat-Medium. An added capability for the

ATON forces is the procurement of new work boats that

replaced those that have exceeded their economic service

life and are no longer cost effective to maintain. The new

boats brought into service are ATON Boat-Small (AB-S), a

20-foot aluminum hull with a range of 70 nautical miles,

and ATON Boat-Skiff (AB-SKF), a 16-foot aluminum hull with

a range of 50 nautical miles. Both boats are outﬁtted with

standard electrical systems and ample working deck space.

Coast Guard boats include:

47-foot Motor Life Boat (MLB)

The 47-foot MLB is primarily designed as a fast-response

rescue vessel in high seas, surf, and heavy weather environ-

ments. But the unique feature of this boat is that it can self-

right in only 30 seconds if knocked over by waves or surf.

With state-of-the-art electronically controlled engines, fuel

management systems, and integrated electronics suite, the

47-foot MLB has become the ideal platform for operations

in extreme sea and weather conditions. The 47-foot MLBs

are planned to undergo reﬁt and renovation under the

In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) project. There are cur-

rently 117 MLBs in inventory.

45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M)

The 45-foot RB-M is being procured to replace the 41-foot

utility boat (UTB). It is an all-aluminum boat that has a wire-

less crew communication system and is powered by twin

diesel engines and water jet propulsion. Unlike the 41-foot

UTB, the RB-M has the ability to self-right if it should ever

capsize. This feature allows the RB-M to operate in higher

seas, ensuring the crew (and rescued survivors) comes

home safely. For example, RB-M’s survivability parameters

are 12-foot seas and 50 knots of wind, whereas the UTB’s

limits are 8-foot seas and 30 knots of wind. The RB-M has

a top speed in excess of 40 knots and cruises at 30 knots,

compared to the 41-foot UTB top speed of 26 knots. All 174

RB-Ms have been delivered.

25-foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S)

Brought into service in 2003 to replace shore-based non-

standard boats, the RB-S features a reinforced bow, full

shock-mitigating seating, and a large cabin. It can tow up

to 10 tons, operate in winds up to 25 knots and seas of up 146

47-foot Motor Life Boat

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER DAVID MOSLEY

147

to 6 feet, and has a range of 150 nautical miles. The second-

generation boats (RB-S II) are now in production and will

replace the original RB-S classes. The RB-S IIs are 29 feet long

and have a range of 220 nautical miles. Approximately 268

RB-S boats are in service.

32-foot Transportable Port Security Boat (TPSB)

Operated by Port Security Units (PSUs), which are com-

posed of Reserve and active-duty personnel, the TPSB pro-

vides for defense readiness operations in the United States

and when PSUs are deployed overseas. It travels at 43-plus

knots, and carries a .50-caliber machine gun and two M60

machine guns. There are 52 in operation.

16- to 64-foot Aids to Navigation Boats

These boats assist in maintaining the nearly 50,000 naviga-

tion aids on the marine transportation system. They include

the 64-foot Self-Propelled Barge that primarily operates on

protected rivers and protected waters; 55-foot aluminum hull

that can operate in moderately rough weather in coastal and

inland waters; 49-foot Stern Loading Buoy boat that supports

the short-range ATON mission; 26-foot Trailerable ATON boat

that serves as the workhorse for ATON teams; 20-foot ATON

Boat-Small; and 16-foot ATON Boat-Skiff.

18- to 64-foot Special Purpose Craft

The special purpose craft are designed to meet speciﬁc

mission requirements or provide a capable and safe asset in

a unique operating environment. A few of these boats are:

64-foot Screening Vessel; 52-foot Heavy Weather; 42-foot

Near Shore Lifeboat; 36-foot Boarding Team Delivery; 33-foot

Law Enforcement; 24-foot Shallow Water; skiffs that can be

used to support natural disaster response; and ice boats that

are used for conducting ice rescues.

33-foot Special Purpose Craft

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 1ST CLASS BRANDYN HILL / U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS TARA MOLLE

25-foot Response Boat-Small

148

14- to 38-foot Cutter-based Boats

The cutterboats provide fast and effective surface capabili-

ties that, in most cases, enable cutters to interdict boats on

the high seas and conduct boardings. Included in this asset

base are: 38-foot Arctic Survey Boat; 36-foot Long Range

Interceptor; 24- to 19-foot Cutterboat-Large; 24-foot ATON-

Large; 24-foot and 26-foot Over-The-Horizon cutterboats;

18-foot ATON-Medium; 17-foot Cutterboat-Medium; and

13-foot Cutterboat-Small, just to name a few.

27-foot Utility Boat-Medium

With a closed cabin, these aluminum-hulled boats are used

for law enforcement, search and rescue, or ATON missions.

They are being replaced by standard boats.

17- to 28-foot Utility Boat-Light (UTL)

With generally an open cabin, these boats are either ﬁber-

glass or aluminum hulled and are assigned to ATON cutters

and shore units.

AIRCRAFT

The Coast Guard operates 202 ﬁxed-wing and rotary-wing

aircraft – airplanes and helicopters – to support its work as a

law enforcement arm, a military service branch, and a seafar-

ing service. Nearly all Coast Guard aircraft have some role in

homeland security operations, and some are now armed.

The Coast Guard operates its aviation ﬂeet on the principle

that it cannot afford a ﬂeet of aircraft intended solely for

specialized missions, and has concentrated on aircraft that

can carry out a wide range of diversiﬁed missions.

HC-144A Ocean Sentry, Medium Range Maritime

Patrol Aircraft (MPA)

A medium-range maritime patrol version of the EADS

CASA CN 235-300M cargo aircraft, the HC-144A is perform-

ing missions previously carried out by the HU-25 ﬂeet as

well as surveillance, rescue, and transport roles performed

by the HC-130Hs. The HC-144A – equipped with a new com-

mand, control, communications, computers, intelligence,

surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) suite, radar and EO/

IR sensor mission systems pallet – is designed to serve as an

on-scene command platform for SAR and homeland security

operations and perform transport missions.

The Coast Guard has accepted delivery of 17 Mission System

Pallets (MSP), a roll-on, roll-off suite of electronic equipment

that enables Ocean Sentry aircrews to compile data from the

aircraft’s multiple integrated sensors and transmit and receive

classiﬁed and unclassiﬁed information with other aircraft, sur-

face vessels, and shore facilities. With multiple voice and data

communications capabilities as well as satellite communica-

tions, the MSP contributes to the common tactical and operat-

ing pictures.

The HC-144A provides extended on-scene loitering capa-

bilities while also being capable of performing maritime

patrol, law enforcement, SAR, disaster-response, and cargo

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY DAVE SILVA

HC-144A Ocean Sentry

149

and personnel transport missions. The Ocean Sentry also is

capable of maintaining secure communications with the

Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security

and allied forces.

The Coast Guard completed planned work under this proj-

ect with the delivery of its 18th HC-144A in September 2014.

Ocean Sentries are currently operating from Coast Guard Air

Stations Mobile, Alabama; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Miami,

Florida; and Corpus Christi, Texas. Procurement has ended in

light of the acquisition of 14 C-27J Spartans.

• Power plant: Two 1,750 shp (1,305 kW)

General Electric CT7-9C3 turboprop engines

• Maximum cruising speed: 236 knots

• Range: up to 2,000 nautical miles

(depending on conﬁguration)

• Range with payload: (6,000 pounds)

1,000 nautical miles (cargo conﬁgured)

• Max endurance: 11.0 hours

• Maximum takeoff weight: 36,380 pounds

• Dimensions: Length, 70 feet, 2 inches;

wingspan, 84 feet, 7 inches

HC-144 Air Stations:

• CGAS/CG Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama

• CGAS Miami, Florida

• CGAS Cape Cod, Massachusetts

• CGAS Mobile, Alabama

• CGAS Corpus Christi, Texas

HC-27J Medium Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The Coast Guard is integrating 14 ex-U.S. Air Force C-27J

Spartan aircraft into its medium-range surveillance air-

craft ﬂeet, to work alongside the HC-144A Ocean Sentry.

The C-27Js are already outﬁtted with weather radar and

military communications equipment capable of supporting

transport and other Coast Guard missions. All 14 aircraft are

planned to be modiﬁed with a standard Coast Guard ﬁxed-

wing Mission Systems Pallet, an integrated surface search

radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, and night vision gog-

gle capability.

• Length: 74 feet, 5 inches

• Wingspan: 94 feet, 2 inches

• Height: 31 feet, 8 inches

• Weight: 70,000 pounds

• Speed: 290 knots

• Range: Up to 2,674 nautical miles

• Endurance: 12 hours

• Ceiling: 30,000 feet

ALENIA AERMACCHI GRAPHIC / U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO

C-37A Gulfstream V

HC-27J Spartan

150

C-37A Gulfstream V Command and Control Aircraft

The service operates two Gulfstream V aircraft as its prin-

cipal command and control transport for senior Coast Guard

and Department of Homeland Security ofﬁcials. On long

ﬂights, the C-37A can carry 12 passengers and a crew of four

with a range of 6,500 nautical miles, all with considerable

fuel efﬁciency. The C-37A enjoys commonality of parts and

supplies with more than a dozen C-37As operated by the

other military branches.

• Power plant: Two 14,750-pound thrust BMW-

Rolls-Royce BR710-48 turbofan engines

• Max cruising speed: Mach 0.885/459 knots

• Certiﬁed ceiling: 51,000 feet

• Range: 5,500 nautical miles

• Gross weight: 90,900 pounds

• Dimensions: Wingspan, 93 feet, 6 inches; length, 96 feet,

5 inches; height, 25 feet, 10 inches

C-37A Air Station:

• CGAS Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington

National Airport)

HC-130H Hercules and HC-130J Super Hercules, Long

Range Surveillance (LRS) Aircraft

The Coast Guard currently operates a long-range turboprop

aircraft ﬂeet consisting of 22 HC-130H Hercules and six HC-130J

Super Hercules. However, the HC-130H Hercules aircraft are

reaching the end of their useful service lives. The Coast Guard

conducted a limited sustainment and enhancement proj-

ect to modernize systems on its HC-130Hs and is continuing

with the acquisition of the more capable and cost-effective

HC-130J. Under the direction of the Department of Defense

Authorization Act for ﬁscal year 2014, seven HC-130Hs will be

transferred to the U.S. Forest Service following modiﬁcation by

the U.S. Air Force. The remaining HC-130Hs will be systemati-

cally retired as the HC-130Js are accepted into service.

The HC-130 provides a versatile platform capable of serving

as an on-scene command-and-control platform with extended

loitering capabilities as well as performing various missions,

including maritime patrol, law enforcement, search and res-

cue, disaster response, and cargo and personnel transport.

As a surveillance platform, it provides the critical means to

detect, classify, and identify targets. For each of these missions,

the information is shared with operational forces capable

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY DAVE SILVA

HC-130H Hercules, HC-130J Super Hercules

151

of interdicting drugs or migrants, protecting living marine

resources, and enforcing economic, safety, and security zones.

The HC-130 uses a powerful multimode surface-search

radar and a nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR)

device combined with an Airborne Tactical Workstation and

military satellite communications capability to improve mis-

sion effectiveness.

In 2001, the Coast Guard received funding for the acquisi-

tion of six HC-130Js. Full operational capability with mission-

ization was completed in mid-2010. In recent years, the service

has received additional funding for ﬁve more aircraft, three of

which were ordered through the U.S. Air Force in September

2012. These aircraft are scheduled for delivery in early 2016.

• Power plant: (HC-130H) Four 4,910-hp Allison

T56-A15 turboprop engines; (HC-130J) four

5,600-hp Rolls-Royce AE2100D turboprop

engines driving six-bladed propellers

• Performance: (HC-130H) Cruising speed, 280 knots/

max 320 knots; service ceiling, 33,000 feet; range,

up to 4,300 nautical miles; (HC-130J) cruising speed,

280 knots/max 362 knots; service ceiling, 39,000 feet;

range, up to 5,200 nautical miles

• Weight: Maximum gross weight at takeoff,

155,000 pounds; normal max 175,000 pounds

(EWP-Emergency War Planning)

• Dimensions: Wingspan, 132.6 feet; length, 99.6

feet; height, 38.6 feet; wing area, 1,734 square feet

HC-130 Air Stations:

• CGAS Sacramento, California

• CGAS Clearwater, Florida

• CGAS Elizabeth City, North Carolina

• CGAS Kodiak, Alaska

• CGAS Barbers Point, Hawaii

MH-60T Jayhawk Medium Range Recovery Helicopter

An all-weather, medium range recovery helicopter simi-

lar to the Navy MH-60R and MH-60S Sea Hawk, with roots

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS ANN MARIE GORDEN

MH-60T Jayhawk

152

U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO BY PET T Y OFFICER 3RD CLASS JENNIFER A. NEASE

going back to the Army’s basic H-60 Black Hawk transport,

the Coast Guard MH-60 is a medium range recovery helicop-

ter that is capable of a variety of missions. The service began

to operate the aircraft in 1990 as a replacement to the now-

retired HH-3F Pelican. The Coast Guard has 42 MH-60Ts.

Jayhawks are crewed by two pilots, a ﬂight mechanic, and

a rescue swimmer, and can carry up to six seated survivors.

It is capable of limited shipboard operations as well as land-

based operations out to 300 nautical miles, with a 45-minute

on-scene time.

The MH-60T employs full night-vision-device capabil-

ity. Primary tactical navigation is accomplished through

blended GPS and inertial navigation system receivers.

In addition to a rescue hoist – rated for 600 pounds – the

Jayhawk is equipped with a heavy-lift external sling with

a capacity of 6,000 pounds. The MH-60 carries sensors and

equipment for SAR missions, law enforcement, and home-

land security missions. Upgrades completed in 2008 provid-

ing armed response capability precipitated an airframe des-

ignation from HH-60J to MH-60J. The MH-60T is an upgrade

of the MH-60J with “glass” cockpit, new electro-optical and

infrared sensors, new radar, and upgrades to the engines.

All MH-60Ts are equipped with Airborne Use of Force (AUF)

capabilities. These upgraded MH-60Ts are expected to serve

until 2027. The ﬁnal MH-60T conversion was delivered in

February 2014.

• Power plant: Two 1,560-shp General Electric

T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines

• Dimensions: Rotor diameter: 53 feet, 8 inches;

length, 64 feet, 8 inches; height, 17 feet; main

rotor disc area, 2,261 square feet

• Performance: Maximum speed, 180 knots; service

ceiling, 13,000 feet DA; range, 700 nautical miles

• Weights: Empty, 14,500 pounds; gross weight,

21,884 pounds

• MH-60 Armament: .50-caliber precision ﬁre

weapon, M240 7.62 mm machine gun

MH-60T Units:

• CGAS/CG Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama

• CGAS Kodiak, Alaska

• CGAS Sitka, Alaska

• CGAS San Diego, California

• CGAS Clearwater, Florida

• CGAS Cape Cod, Massachusetts

• CGAS Elizabeth City, North Carolina

• CGAS Astoria, Oregon

MH-65D Dolphin

153

SATCOM capability, an integrated EO/IR system, and a night

vision goggles (NVG) heads up display (HUD) to help pilots

maintain situational awareness during nighttime opera-

tions. The MH-65Cs used by Helicopter Interdiction Tactical

Squadron (HITRON) Jacksonville, Florida, for counterdrug

operations carry an M240 machine gun and an M107 .50-cal-

iber precision ﬁre weapon for disabling ﬁre.

The MH-65D is the result of the latest incremental modern-

ization project, Segment 4 of a six-segment modernization

plan, which commenced in August 2010 and will extend the

aircraft’s service life through 2027. It addresses immediate

critical mission degraders as well as replacing additional obso-

lete subsystems, including the aircraft’s navigation system

and gyros, with digital GPS and inertial navigation. It adds

a new digital Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), inte-

grated ﬂight deck with sensor display screens, and a robust,

effective C4ISR suite. As of October 2014, 80 of the service’s

99 H-65s had been modiﬁed to Segment 4, or MH-65D stan-

dard. Segment 5 will add a secure shipboard handling, secur-

ing, and traversing system. Segment 6, which brings the ﬂeet

to MH-65E standard, will replace the analog automatic ﬂight

control with digital systems, and install digital weather radar

and digital glass cockpit instruments, among other modern-

ization upgrades.

Data applies to MH-65C/D.

• Power plant: HH-65C – two 853-shp Turbomeca

Arriel 2C2-CG turboshaft engines

• Performance: Maximum speed, 175 knots; cruising

speed, 120 knots; operational ceiling, approximately

10,000 feet; range, 375 nautical miles

• Weights: Empty weight, 6,200 pounds; max gross

weight, 9,480 pounds

• Dimensions: Main rotor diameter, 39 feet, 2

inches; main rotor disc area, 1,204 square feet;

length, 44 feet, 4 inches; height, 13 feet, 4 inches

• MH-65C Armament: .50-caliber precision ﬁre

weapon, M240B 7.62 mm machine gun

H-65 Air Stations:

• CGAS Traverse City, Michigan

• CGAS Barbers Point, Hawaii

• CGAS Borinquen, Puerto Rico

• CGAS Atlantic City, New Jersey

• CGAS Corpus Christi, Texas

• CGAS Detroit, Michigan

• CGAS Houston, Texas

• CGAS Humboldt Bay, California

• CGAS Los Angeles, California

• CGAS Miami, Florida

• CGAS/CG Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama

• CGAS New Orleans, Louisiana

• CGAS North Bend, Oregon

• CGAS San Francisco, California

• CGAS Port Angeles, Washington

• CGAS Savannah, Georgia

• CGAS Kodiak, Alaska

• HITRON Jacksonville, Florida

MH-65C/D Dolphin Short Range Recovery Helicopter

The H-65 Dolphin is the Coast Guard’s oldest and most

numerous current helicopter, dating to the 1980s when it was

selected for the short-range rescue mission, and one of the

service’s ﬁrst helicopters without the capability to perform

water landings.

The H-65 is a short range recovery aircraft. This twin-

engine, single-rotor helicopter is certiﬁed for all weather

and night time operations, but it is prohibited from ﬂy-

ing under known icing conditions. The strengths of this

aircraft include its speed, ﬂexibility, and integrated elec-

tronics package. The H-65 is the Coast Guard’s standard

shipboard-deployable aircraft and operates from all ﬂight

deck-equipped cutters. Navigation inputs are processed

through a central mission computer unit, which can gener-

ate search patterns from pilot-provided input. This mini-

mizes the attention needed to navigate the aircraft and

maximizes search effectiveness. Endurance of the H-65 is

limited, with a maximum endurance proﬁle at 75 knots

of 3.5 hours. The aircraft can sprint at speeds up to 165

knots for short periods and sustain speeds of more than

140 knots.

An AUF capability was added to all H-65s, resulting in

their redesignation as MH-65C. The MH-65C also obtained