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“The primary mission of these ships is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance, an important aspect of littoral operations outlined in the Navy’s maritime strategy. The 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.
Background
The Cyclone-class ships are assigned to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Of the 13 ships, five operate out of the Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va., five are forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain, and three are on loan to the U.S. Coast Guard. 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 on February 28, 2000, and was given to the U.S. Coast Guard the next day. There, the Cyclone was re-commissioned as USCGC Cyclone (WPC 1). Serving in this role for another four years, the ship was finally transferred to the Republic of the Philippines on 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 are scheduled for return in October 2011. In 2009, the ships began a sustainment program to update their ships communication, engineering and support systems.
Patrol Coastal Crew INDIA compromises of 28 personnel (4 officer, 24 enlisted) assigned to CYCLONE class ships. The crew “hull swaps” with 12 other crews assigned to theses small ships every 6 to 9 months. While home ported in Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, we train for nine months during a vigorous training cycle. Once complete, the crew deploys to Bahrain and assumes command of one of the 5 PC Class ships stationed there. While on deployment, we are assigned to 5th Fleet and conduct various missions to include platform defense, coastal defense, vessel inquiry training other navies and, on occasion, anti-drug, anti-trafficing, and anti-piracy operations.”
