Cyclone-class Patrol Ships

The ''Cyclone''-class patrol ships are a class of United States Navy coastal patrol boats. Most of these ships 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 provide full mission support for U.S. Navy SEALs and other special operations forces.

The ''Cyclone''-class ships are assigned to Naval Special Warfare. 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 the United States Naval Special Warfare Command with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to emergent requirements in a low intensity conflict environment. Three ships were decommissioned and loaned to the United States Coast Guard to be returned to the Navy in 2011, while lead ship ''Cyclone'' was transferred to the Philippine Navy. ''Shamal'', ''Tornado'', and ''Zephyr'' were returned to the U.S. Navy in 2011 and 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 decision was made to recall all of the remaining ships of the class 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, , have been in service longer. The vessels will be inspected and a decision will be made whether to refit them or to decommission the ships.

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.

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.

On 30 March 2022, the Royal Bahrain Naval Forces commissioned five ''Cyclone''-class patrol vessels that were decommissioned by the USN at Manama.

Ships in class

''Zephyr'', ''Shamal'', and ''Tornado'' were homeported at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek (Virginia) but shifted homeport to Naval Station Mayport (Florida)."U.S. Navy Trading Destroyers for PCs in 5th Fleet." ''UNSI News.'' Published 3 Jul 2013. Accessed 8 Jul 2013.
/ref> All three were decommissioned in February 2021. ''Zephyr'' and ''Shamal'' are set to be scrapped while ''Tornado'' will be made available for sale to a foreign military.

Users

Current

* (1)
* (5)
* (5)

Past

* (5 returned to U.S. Navy)

See also

* Mark V Special Operations Craft
* Special Operations Craft – Riverine (SOC-R)
* Mark VI patrol boat

References

Sources

* Baker, A.D. ''The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1998. .
* Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. ''Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995''. Annapolis, Maryland USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. .
* Moore, John. ''Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–86''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1985. .
* Prézelin, Bernard and Baker, A.D. ''The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1990. .

External links

U.S. Navy Fact Sheet






- PC



Navy Times article on repairs to the class.


{{Cyclone class patrol coastal ship

Patrol boat classes

Naval ships of the United States
Patrol vessels of the United States