The Marine Protector class is a class of coastal patrol boats of the United States Coast Guard. The 87-foot-long vessels are based on the Stan 2600 design by Damen Group, and were built by Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. Each boat is named after sea creatures which fly or swim.[3]

The Coast Guard placed its original order in 1999 for 50 boats, which were delivered by mid-2002.[4] Several additional orders brought the class to a total of 74 ships, with the last, USCGC Sea Fox, being completed in October 2009.[3][5][6] Four additional vessels were built for Foreign Military Sales, with two each going to Malta and Yemen.[7]

In May 2021, the United States announced that it would send three ships to the Lebanese Navy[8]

The Marine Protector class replaced the 82-foot Point class which had smaller accommodations and had to stop to deploy its pursuit inflatable boat via crane. The last Point-class cutter was decommissioned in 2003.[9][10]

In 2020, the Department of Homeland Security began to decommission the fleet, with 8 Marine Protector cutters replaced by newer Sentinel class cutters.[11]

In May 2023, the United States government pledged to provide the Philippines at least two Marine Protector vessels, as well as two Island-class patrol boat and three Lockheed C-130H Hercules during President Bongbong Marcos' visit to Washington D.C.[12][13] The transferred vessels will be operated by the Philippine Navy.[14][15]

General characteristics

Missions include combating drug smuggling, illegal immigration, marine fisheries enforcement and search and rescue support. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks many have a homeland security mission in the form of ports waterways and coastal security (PWCS) patrols.[16]

Boarding parties can be launched while the vessel is underway, through the cutter's stern launching ramp.[3] The attached rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) has been upgraded in an effort to increase speed and sea state sustainability for boarding parties and rescue and assistance teams. The stern launching system requires only a single crew member to remain on deck to launch or retrieve the boarding party.

The vessels consume approximately 165 gallons of diesel per hour at their maximum speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).

Like all new U.S. Coast Guard vessels, the Marine Protector class are designed to accommodate crews of mixed gender with five separate small berthing spaces accommodating standard crews of ten with maximum berthing for 12.[3]

Sea Dragon and Sea Dog are assigned to guard a United States Navy submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, while Sea Devil and Sea Fox guard another submarine base in Bangor, Washington. All mount an additional machine gun operated by remote control.[3]

Boats in class

Image Name Hull Number Builder Commissioned Homeport Status

USCGC Barracuda WPB-87301 Bollinger Shipyards 1998 Eureka, California Active

USCGC Hammerhead WPB-87302 Woods Hole, Massachusetts

USCGC Mako WPB-87303 Cape May, New Jersey

USCGC Marlin WPB-87304 Fort Myers Beach, Florida

USCGC Stingray WPB-87305 Mobile, Alabama

USCGC Dorado WPB-87306 1999 Crescent City, California Decommissioned on March 10, 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy.

USCGC Osprey WPB-87307 Port Townsend, Washington

USCGC Chinook WPB-87308 New London, Connecticut

USCGC Albacore WPB-87309 New London, Connecticut Sold to Uruguay.[17]

USCGC Tarpon WPB-87310 Tybee Island, Georgia

USCGC Cobia WPB-87311 Mobile, Alabama

USCGC Hawksbill WPB-87312 Monterey, California

Decommissioned

USCGC Cormorant WPB-87313 South Padre Island, Texas

USCGC Finback WPB-87314 Cape May, New Jersey

USCGC Amberjack WPB-87315 South Padre Island, Texas

USCGC Kittiwake WPB-87316 Honolulu, Hawaii

USCGC Blackfin WPB-87317 Santa Barbara, California

USCGC Bluefin WPB-87318 Fort Pierce, Florida

USCGC Yellowfin WPB-87319 Charleston, South Carolina

USCGC Manta WPB-87320 2000 Freeport, Texas Decommissioned on Apr 16, 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy.

USCGC Coho WPB-87321 Panama City, Florida

USCGC Kingfisher WPB-87322 Mayport, Florida

USCGC Seahawk WPB-87323 Carrabelle, Florida

USCGC Steelhead WPB-87324 Port Aransas, Texas

USCGC Beluga WPB-87325 Little Creek, Virginia

USCGC Blacktip WPB-87326 Oxnard, California

USCGC Pelican WPB-87327 Abbeville, Louisiana

USCGC Ridley WPB-87328 Montauk, New York

USCGC Cochito WPB-87329 Little Creek, Virginia Sold to Uruguay.[18]

USCGC Manowar WPB-87330 Galveston, Texas

USCGC Moray WPB-87331 Jonesport, Maine

USCGC Razorbill WPB-87332 Gulfport, Mississippi

USCGC Adelie WPB-87333 Port Angeles, Washington

USCGC Gannet WPB-87334 Dania, Florida Sold to Uruguay.[19]

USCGC Narwhal WPB-87335 Corona Del Mar, California

USCGC Sturgeon WPB-87336 Grand Isle, Louisiana

USCGC Sockeye WPB-87337 Bodega Bay, California

USCGC Ibis WPB-87338 Cape May, New Jersey

USCGC Pompano WPB-87339 Gulfport, Mississippi

USCGC Halibut WPB-87340 Marina Del Rey, California

USCGC Bonito WPB-87341 Pensacola, Florida

USCGC Shrike WPB-87342 Port Canaveral, Florida

USCGC Tern WPB-87343 San Francisco, California

USCGC Heron WPB-87344 Sabine Pass, Texas

USCGC Wahoo WPB-87345 Port Angeles, Washington

USCGC Flyingfish WPB-87346 Boston, Massachusetts

USCGC Haddock WPB-87347 San Diego, California

USCGC Brant WPB-87348 2002 Corpus Christi, Texas Decommissioned on March 17, 2022

USCGC Shearwater WPB-87349 2002 Portsmouth, Virginia Decommissioned on April 15, 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy.

USCGC Petrel WPB-87350 San Diego, California

87351[20] Malta

USCGC Sea Lion WPB-87352 Bellingham, Washington

USCGC Skipjack WPB-87353 Galveston, Texas

USCGC Dolphin WPB-87354 Miami, Florida

USCGC Hawk WPB-87355 St. Petersburg, Florida

USCGC Sailfish WPB-87356 Sandy Hook, New Jersey

USCGC Sawfish WPB-87357 Key West, Florida

USCGC Swordfish WPB-87358 Port Angeles, Washington

USCGC Tiger Shark WPB-87359 Newport, Rhode Island

USCGC Blue Shark WPB-87360 Everett, Washington

USCGC Sea Horse WPB-87361 Portsmouth, Virginia

USCGC Sea Otter WPB-87362 San Diego, California

USCGC Manatee WPB-87363 Corpus Christi, Texas

USCGC Ahi WPB-87364 Honolulu, Hawaii

USCGC Pike WPB-87365 San Francisco, California

USCGC Terrapin WPB-87366 Bellingham, Washington

USCGC Sea Dragon WPB-87367 Kings Bay, Georgia In active service

USCGC Sea Devil WPB-87368 Bangor, Washington

USCGC Crocodile WPB-87369 St Petersburg, Florida

USCGC Diamondback WPB-87370 Miami Beach, Florida

USCGC Reef Shark WPB-87371 Juneau, Alaska

USCGC Alligator WPB-87372 St. Petersburg, Florida

USCGC Sea Dog WPB-87373 Kings Bay, Georgia

USCGC Sea Fox WPB-87374 Bangor, Washington In active service