Description The primary mission of Patrol Coastal ships is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance, an important aspect of littoral operations outlined in the Navy's maritime strategy. Cyclone class PCs are particularly suited for the maritime homeland security mission and have been employed jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard to help protect our nation's coastline, ports and waterways from terrorist attack. In addition, the ships have been forward deployed to the Gulf region in support of the war on terrorism.
Features
Background The Cyclone class ships are assigned to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Of the 13 ships, three operate out of Mayport, Florida, and 10 are forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain. These ships provide the U.S. Navy with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to emergent requirements in a shallow water environment. USS Cyclone was the lead ship of the Navy's Cyclone class of patrol coastal boats. The ship was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list Feb. 28, 2000, and was given to the U.S. Coast Guard the next day. Where upon it was re-commissioned as USCG Cyclone (WPC 1). Serving in this role for another four years, the ship was finally transferred to the Republic of the Philippines March 8, 2004, where the Cyclone entered naval service as BRP Mariano Alvarez (PS 38). The Navy and Coast Guard signed an agreement in August 2004 that allowed five ships to be under the operational command of the Coast Guard beginning in October 2004. Two of five ships were returned to the Navy in 2008. The remaining three were returned in 2011. In 2009, the ships began a sustainment program to update their engineering, navigation, communication, combat and support systems.
Point Of Contact Office of Corporate Communication (SEA 00D) Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA Washington, D.C. 20376
General Characteristics, Cyclone
Builder: Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.
Propulsion: Four Paxman diesels; four shafts; 3,350 shaft horsepower.
Length: 179 feet (51.82 meters).
Beam: 25 feet (7.62 meters).
Displacement: 380 long tons (387 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 35 knots (40 miles per hour; 65 kilometers/hr).
Crew: Four officers, 24 enlisted personnel.
Armament: Two MK 38 25mm machine guns; four .50 caliber machine guns; two MK 19 40mm automatic grenade launchers; two M-60 machine guns.
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