The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard cutter mainly consisting of the 270-foot (82 m) Famous- and 210-foot (64 m) Reliance-class cutters. These larger cutters are under control of Area Commands (Atlantic Area or Pacific Area).[1] These cutters have adequate accommodations for crew to live on board[1] and can do 6 to 8 week patrols.[2]

Other ships in the WMEC classification are the 282-foot (86 m) USCGC Alex Haley, and the now-decommissioned 213-foot (65 m) USCGC Acushnet, and 230-foot (70 m) USCGC Storis,[3] and 205-foot (62 m) USCGC Tamaroa which began as the United States Navy Cherokee-class fleet tug USS Zuni launched in 1943.

There are 13 vessels in the Famous class, and 14 vessels still in active US service in the Reliance class. The Coast Guard plans to eventually phase out the vessels in both of these cutter classes and replace them with the Offshore Patrol Cutter as part of the Integrated Deepwater System Program.[4]

Contents

1 History

2 Famous-class cutter

2.1 Ships in class

3 Reliance-class cutter

3.1 Ships in class

4 Notes

5 References

History

After World War II, the United States Coast Guard used the US Navy hull classification system. The large, sea-going cutters were classified primarily as Coast Guard gunboats (WPG), destroyer escorts (WDE), and seaplane tenders (WAVP). In 1965 the Coast Guard adopted its own designation system and these large cutters were then referred to as Coast Guard High Endurance Cutters (WHEC). The coastal cutters once known as Cruising Cutters, Second Class and then as Coast Guard patrol craft (WPC) were now Coast Guard Medium Endurance Cutters (WMEC)."[5]

Famous-class cutter

Famous class

Famous-class cutter USCGC Thetis (WMEC 910)

Famous-class cutter USCGC Thetis (WMEC-910)

Class overview

Builders:

Robert Derecktor Shipyard Inc., Middletown, Rhode Island

Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Tacoma, Washington

Operators: United States Coast Guard

Built: 1979–1989

In commission: 1983–present

Completed: 13

Active: 13

General characteristics

Displacement: 1,800 long tons (1,829 t)

Length: 270 ft (82 m)

Beam: 38 ft (12 m)

Draft: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)

Installed power: 2 × Caterpillar V12 diesel generators

Propulsion:

2 × turbo-charged ALCO V-18 diesel engines

2 × 9-foot-diameter (2.7 m) controllable pitch propellers

Speed: 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)

Range: 9,900 nmi (18,300 km; 11,400 mi)

Complement: 100 (14 officers, 86 enlisted)

Sensors and

processing systems:

FCS MK 92 Mod 1

SPS-78 Surface Search Radar

Electronic warfare

& decoys:

AN/SLQ-32A(V)2

2 x Mark 36 SRBOC

Armament:

1 × OTO Melara Mark 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun

2 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns

Aviation facilities: Helipad and hangar for HH-65 Dolphin or HH-60J Jayhawk

The Famous-class vessels have hull numbers in the range from WMEC-901 through WMEC-913. Entering service in the 1980s, the Famous-class cutters were designed as replacements for the 327-foot (100 m) Treasury-class cutters, and their mission profile emphasized law enforcement, particularly patrolling the newly established 200-mile (320 km) exclusive economic zone.[5]

The Coast Guard harvested weapons systems components from decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates to save money. Harvesting components from four decommissioned frigates resulted in more than $24 million in cost savings, which increased with parts from more decommissioned frigates. Equipment such as the Mark 75, 76 mm/62 caliber gun mounts, gun control panels, barrels, launchers, junction boxes, and other components from decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates were returned to service aboard Famous-class cutters in order to extend their service lives into the 2030s.[6]

Ships in class

USCGC Harriet Lane moored at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

Famous class

Hull number Name Status

WMEC-901 Bear Active

WMEC-902 Tampa Active

WMEC-903 Harriet Lane Active

WMEC-904 Northland Active

WMEC-905 Spencer Active

WMEC-906 Seneca Active

WMEC-907 Escanaba Active

WMEC-908 Tahoma Active

WMEC-909 Campbell Active

WMEC-910 Thetis Active

WMEC-911 Forward Active

WMEC-912 Legare Active

WMEC-913 Mohawk Active

Reliance-class cutter

Reliance class

Reliance-class cutter USCGC Reliance (WMEC-615)

Cutter USCGC Reliance

Class overview

Builders:

Todd Shipyards, Houston, Texas

American Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio

U.S. Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Maryland

Christy Corporation, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Operators:

United States Coast Guard

Sri Lanka Navy

Colombian Navy Coast Guard

Built: 1962–1968

In commission: 1964–present

Completed: 16

Active: 14

General characteristics

Displacement: 1,127.2 long tons (1,145 t) full load

Length:

210 ft 6 in (64.16 m) LOA

200 ft (61 m) LWL

Beam: 34 ft (10 m)

Draft: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)

Propulsion: 2 × 2,500 hp (1,864 kW) ALCO 251B diesel engines

Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)

Range: 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)

Complement: 75

Armament:

1 × 25mm Mk 38 autocannon

2 × M2HB .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine guns

Aviation facilities: Helipad

The Reliance-class vessels have hull numbers in the range from WMEC-615 through WMEC-630. Entering service between 1964 and 1969, the Reliance-class cutters were meant to replace the 165-foot (50 m) cutters of the Prohibition era and were the first major cutter replacement project since the 255-foot (78 m) Owasco-class cutters from World War II.[5]

The 210s (210-foot cutters) received upgrades and modifications (in a program named "Midlife Maintenance Availability" or MMA) during the 1986 through 1990 time period. The "A"-class cutters had their gas turbines removed, and all 210s had their stern transom exhaust systems replaced with a traditional stack. While this modification reduced the size of the flight deck, they were still more than capable of carrying out helicopter operations. Other modifications included enlarging the superstructure area, replacing the main armament, and increasing the fire-fighting capability of the cutters. The modifications cost approximately $20 million per cutter, well above their original cost of about $3.5 million each.[5]

Ships in class

Reliance class

Hull number Name Status

WMEC-615 Reliance Active

WMEC-616 Diligence Active

WMEC-617 Vigilant Active

WMEC-618 Active Active

WMEC-619 Confidence Active

WMEC-620 Resolute Active

WMEC-621 Valiant Active

WMEC-622 Courageous Decommissioned

WMEC-623 Steadfast Active

WMEC-624 Dauntless Active

WMEC-625 Venturous Active

WMEC-626 Dependable Active

WMEC-627 Vigorous Active

WMEC-628 Durable Decommissioned

WMEC-629 Decisive Active

WMEC-630 Alert Active

Courageous was decommissioned on 19 September 2001. She was transferred to the government of Sri Lanka on 24 June 2004 as SLNS Samudura (P-621).

Durable was decommissioned on 20 September 2001. In 2003 she was transferred to the Coast Guard of the Colombian Navy as ARC Valle del Cauca (PO-44).