Whither Patrol Coastals?

The Cyclone Class PCs have had an interesting service life beginning when the first ship (since transferred to the Philippine Navy) was launched in 1992. Consistent with history, the US Navy has been unsure how to best use these smaller vessels. Originally designed and operated for SOCOM, they proved inadequate for the task of supporting SOF, so they were transferred to the surface force in the late 1990s. Later, several of them were transferred to the Coast Guard for use primarily as counter-narcotics duty, but in another month or so, all remaining 13 PCs will be back in Navy hands.

The PCs’ mainstay mission the past decade has been protecting OPLATs in the North Arabian Gulf, but the ships have been plagued by hull cracks requiring extensive repairs in Bahrain. Previously, they performed a variety of fleet duties, including patrolling the coast of West Africa in what could be considered a predecessor to the APS. According to NAVSEA, these ships are scheduled to be in service through the mid-2020s. I find that estimate incredulous, especially in view of the above material problems and the contradictory quote of a 15 year life from another NAVSEA spokesman in the above article. Regardless, we seem to find excuses to decommission ships well before their estimated useful service lives (see SPRUANCE class for examples).

The PCs and similar sized naval vessels clearly excel at missions such as TSC and MSO. But with some creativity, they are capable of many other non-traditional operations. Consider that from an operational standpoint, the most valuable components of a multi-billion dollar nuclear submarine in an IW scenario are the sensors located on the last few feet of its periscope. Combining a UUV with these same sensors launched from a small surface mother ship provides a like surveillance capability for a fraction of the cost, saving submarines for higher-end missions. In other posts, I've mentioned the utility of small combatants combined with distributed firepower . What other roles should coastal patrol vessels play in tomorrow’s navy?

The opinions and views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and are presented in his personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of U.S. Department of Defense, the US Navy, or any other agency.