Cyclone class patrol ship
Encyclopedia
The Cyclone class patrol ships are a class of United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
coastal patrol boat
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
s. 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
Littoral
The littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...
operations outlined in the Navy's strategy, "Forward...From the Sea." These ships also provide full mission support for Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
and other special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
forces. The Cyclone class ships are assigned to Naval Special Warfare. Of the thirteen ships, nine originally operated out of the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals...
, Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and four originally operated from the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado is a naval installation located across the bay from San Diego, CA. The base, situated on Silver Strand, between the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is a major Navy shore command, supporting over 30 tenant commands, and is the West Coast focal point for special...
. These ships provide the Naval Special Warfare Command with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to emergent requirements in a low intensity conflict
Low intensity conflict
Low intensity conflict is the use of military forces applied selectively and with restraint to enforce compliance with the policies or objectives of the political body controlling the military force...
environment.
Three hulls have been decommissioned and loaned to the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
to be returned to the Navy in 2011 and one was transferred to the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
. Of the remaining ten, five are homeported at Little Creek and five are homeported in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
as part of a rotating forward deployment.
The hulls on loan to the US Coast Guard are used in a variety of roles, including search and rescue, interception, boarding, and inspection of foreign freighters arriving at US 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, Tornado, 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.
Ships
| Ship | Hull No. | Commissioned– Decommissioned | Homeport | |NVR Page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclone USS Cyclone (PC-1) USS Cyclone was the first of the Navy's Cyclone class coastal patrol ships. As the first of her class, Cyclone served as the test bed for this series of 14 vessels... |
PC-1 | 1993–2000 | — | Transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in February 2000 as USCGC Cyclone (WPC-1), transferred to the Philippine Navy in March 2004. Now BRP Mariano Alvarez (PS-38) BRP Mariano Alvarez (PS-38) The BRP General Mariano Alvarez is the lone ship of the same class of coastal patrol ships in service with the Philippine Navy. Historically, she is the lead ship of the Cyclone class prior to being transferred to the Philippine Navy, thereby making it the only navy other than the US Navy to... . |
PC-1 |
| Tempest USS Tempest (PC-2) USS Tempest was the second Cyclone-class Patrol ship. Decommissioned 30 September 2005 and loaned to the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Tempest . She was placed in 'Commission Special' status until December 2005, when she was formally commissioned as a Coast Guard cutter... |
PC-2 | 1993– | Little Creek, VA Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals... |
Active | PC-2 |
| Hurricane USS Hurricane (PC-3) USS Hurricane was the third Cyclone class Patrol ship. Its keel laid on 20 November 1991, it was first launched on 6 June 1992 and commissioned on 15 October 1993.-External links:... |
PC-3 | 1993– | Little Creek | Active | PC-3 |
| Monsoon USS Monsoon (PC-4) USS Monsoon was the fourth Cyclone class patrol ship. Monsoon was laid down by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana on February 15, 1992 and launched October 10, 1992. She was commissioned January 22, 1994 by the United States Navy. She was decommissioned October 1, 2004 and loaned to the... |
PC-4 | 1994– | Little Creek | Active | PC-4 |
| Typhoon USS Typhoon (PC-5) USS Typhoon is the fifth United States Navy Cyclone class patrol ship. Typhoon was laid down 15 May 1992 at Bollinger Machine, in Lockport, Louisiana and launched 3 March 1993. She was commissioned 12 February 1994 in Tampa, Florida... |
PC-5 | 1994– | Manama, Bahrain | Active | PC-5 |
| Sirocco USS Sirocco (PC-6) USS Sirocco is the sixth Cyclone-class patrol ship of the U.S. Navy. Sirocco was laid down 20 June 1992 by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana and launched 29 May 1993. She was commissioned by the Navy 11 June 1994. She is assigned to Commander FIFTH Fleet through Destroyer Squadron FIFTY and... |
PC-6 | 1994– | Manama, Bahrain | Active | PC-6 |
| Squall USS Squall (PC-7) USS Squall is the seventh Cyclone class patrol ship. Squall was laid down 17 February 1993 by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana and launched 28 August 1993. She was commissioned by the United States Navy 4 July 1994.... |
PC-7 | 1994– | Little Creek | Active | PC-7 |
| Zephyr USS Zephyr (PC-8) USS Zephyr was built as a Cyclone class patrol coastal ship in the United States Navy. As of 8 October 2004 she was transferred to the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Zephyr .... |
PC-8 | 1994–2004 | Pascagoula, Mississippi | On loan to the U.S. Coast Guard as USCGC Zephyr (WPC-8) | PC-8 |
| Chinook USS Chinook (PC-9) The second USS Chinook is the ninth Cyclone class patrol ship of the United States Navy. Awarded 19 July 1991 to Bollinger Machine, her keel was laid 16 June 1993 and she was launched 26 February 1994. She was delivered 7 October 1994 and commissioned 28 January 1995.-External links:**... |
PC-9 | 1995– | Manama, Bahrain | Active | PC-9 |
| Firebolt USS Firebolt (PC-10) USS Firebolt is the 10th member of the Cyclone-class of coastal patrol boats. She is a vessel with a crew of approximately 30 sailors, normally homeported at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia. Her armament includes two Mk38 chain guns, two Mk19 automatic grenade launchers, and... |
PC-10 | 1995– | Manama, Bahrain | Active | PC-10 |
| Whirlwind USS Whirlwind (PC-11) USS Whirlwind is the eleventh Cyclone class Patrol ship. Whirlwind was laid down 4 March 1994 by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana and launched 9 September 1994. She was commissioned 1 July 1995 in Memphis, Tennessee.... |
PC-11 | 1995– | Manama, Bahrain | Active | PC-11 |
| Thunderbolt USS Thunderbolt (PC-12) USS Thunderbolt is the twelfth Cyclone class patrol ship. Thunderbolt was laid down 9 June 1994 by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana and launched 2 December 1994. She was commissioned by the United States Navy 7 October 1995.... |
PC-12 | 1995– | Little Creek | Active | PC-12 |
| Shamal USS Shamal (PC-13) USS Shamal was the thirteenth Cyclone class patrol ship. Shamal was laid down September 23, 1994 by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana and launched March 3, 1995. She was commissioned January 27, 1996... |
PC-13 | 1996–2004 | Pascagoula, Mississippi | On loan to the U.S. Coast Guard as USCGC Shamal (WPC-13) | PC-13 |
| Tornado USS Tornado (PC-14) USS Tornado was the fourteenth and last Cyclone class patrol ship, notable for being the only ship in the class designed with shaping features for signature management. She was laid down by Bollinger Machine, Lockport, Louisiana 25 August 1998 and launched 7 June 1999... |
PC-14 | 2000–2004 | Pascagoula, Mississippi | On loan to the U.S. Coast Guard as USCGC Tornado (WPC-14) | PC-14 |