USCG transfers cutters to Costa Rica
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has transferred two former cutters - Long Island and Roanoke Island - to the Costa Rican Coast Guard, the USCG announced on 16 October.
The cutters are the fifth and sixth 110ft patrol boats to be transferred to a foreign partner nation under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme.
Under a foreign military sales programme, the USCG will provide new equipment to outfit the cutters, and technical and training services, before the Costa Rican Coast Guard sails the cutters from the coast guard yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, to reach Costa Rica in spring 2018.
Each patrol boat transfer saves the USCG money in remediation and disposal costs. EDA transfers also help build and sustain international partnerships in support of the US national maritime strategy and promote regional and global maritime safety and security.
Long Island and Roanoke Island were previously based in Alaska and were decommissioned in 2015. The multimission Island-class patrol boats entered service in the mid-1980s; 23 of the 49 cutters originally in the class remain in service. They are being replaced with 58 154ft fast response cutters.
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN
The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.