USCG FRC arrives in Hawaii
The US Coast Guard's (USCG's) new Sentinel class cutter Oliver Berry has arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, the US Pacific Command announced on 25 September.
The vessel is the first of three Honolulu-based fast response cutters (FRC) that will primarily serve the main Hawaiian Islands.
The 154ft FRCs are designed to patrol coastal regions and feature advanced C4ISR equipment. The cutters also have the ability to launch and recover standardised small boats from the stern.
The USCG is acquiring 58 FRCs to replace the 110ft Island-class patrol boats. The FRCs are designed for missions including search and rescue; fisheries enforcement; drug and migrant interdiction, ports, waterways and coastal security and national defence.
The USCG took delivery of Oliver Berry on 27 June in Key West. The vessel will be commissioned in October this year. Three FRCs are to be stationed at Base Honolulu by the spring of 2019.
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