Small naval vessel
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence duties. There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, police force or customs and may be intended for marine (blue water) or estuarine or river ("brown water") environments. They are commonly found engaged in various border protection roles, including anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, fisheries patrols, and immigration law enforcement. They are also often called upon to participate in rescue operations. Vessels of this type include the original yacht (from Dutch/Low German jacht meaning hunting or hunt), a light, fast-sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into shallow waters.
Classification
They may be broadly classified as inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). They are warships typically smaller in size than a corvette and can include fast attack craft, torpedo boats and missile boats, although some are as large as a frigate. The offshore patrol vessels are usually the smallest ship in a navy's fleet that is large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore in the open ocean. In larger militaries, such as in the United States military, offshore patrol vessels usually serve in the coast guard, but many smaller nations navies operate these type of ships.
History
During both World Wars in order to rapidly build up numbers, all sides created auxiliary patrol boats by arming motorboats and seagoing fishing trawlers with machine guns and obsolescent naval weapons. Some modern patrol vessels are still based on fishing and leisure boats. Seagoing patrol boats are typically around 30 m (100 ft) in length and usually carry a single medium caliber artillery gun as main armament, and a variety of lighter secondary armament such as machine guns or a close-in weapon system. Depending on role, vessels in this class may also have more sophisticated sensors and fire control systems that would enable them to carry torpedoes, anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.
Most modern designs are powered by gas turbine arrangements such as CODAG, and speeds are generally in the 25-30 knots (46-56 km/h; 29-35 mph) range. They are primarily used for patrol in a country's Exclusive Economic Zone. Common tasks are fisheries inspection, anti-smuggling (usually anti-narcotics) duties, illegal immigration patrols, anti-piracy patrols and search and rescue (law enforcement-type of work). The largest OPVs might also have a flight deck and helicopter embarked. In times of crisis or war, these vessels are expected to support the larger vessels in the navy.
Their small size and relatively low cost make them one of the most common type of warship in the world. Almost all navies operate at least a few offshore patrol vessels, especially those with only "green water" capabilities. They are useful in smaller seas such as the North Sea as well as in open oceans. Similar vessels for exclusively military duties include torpedo boats and missile boats. The United States Navy operated the Pegasus class of armed hydrofoils for years, in a patrol boat role. The River Patrol Boat (PBR, sometimes called "Riverine" and "Pibber") is a U.S. design of small patrol boat type designed to patrol waters of large rivers.
Specific nations
Albania
Argentina
Australia
- Attack-class patrol boat, (Royal Australian Navy) - 1967 to 1985
- Fremantle-class patrol boat, (Royal Australian Navy) - 1979 to 2007
- Pacific-class patrol boat, (Australian built, gifted by Australian government to 12 Pacific Island countries), 1987-present
- Armidale-class patrol boat, (Royal Australian Navy) - 2005 to present
- Arafura-class Offshore Patrol Vessel, (Royal Australian Navy) - Expected to enter service in 2021
- Bay-class patrol boat, (Australian Border Force Marine Unit) - 1999 to present
- Australian Customs Vessel Triton, (Australian Border Force Marine Unit) - 2000 to 2016
- Cape-class patrol boat, (Australian Border Force Marine Unit) - Bay class replacement from 2013
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Brazil
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
PTC
Orca, an
Orca-class patrol boat of the Royal Canadian Navy
China
Chile
Patrulleros de Zona Marítima FASSMER OPV-80 class. 4 of 6 units planned, built by ASMAR under license of FASSMER Gmbh:
- OPV-81 "Piloto Pardo"
- OPV-82 "Comandante Toro"
- OPV-83 "Marinero Fuentealba". This unit has reinforced hull for Antarctic operations.
- OPV-84 "Cabo Odger" with characteristics similar to the previous ship
- 06 MICALVI Class Patrol vessels built in ASMAR.
- 18 Protector Class Patrol crafts built by ASMAR under license of Fairey Brooke Marine.
- 04 DABUR Class Patrol crafts built in Israel.
Colombia
Croatia
Denmark
Eritrea
France
- P400 class, (French Navy)
- La Confiance Class, (French Navy) link in French
- Floréal class, (French Navy)
- Flamant class, (French Navy)
- Espadon 50 class, (French Navy) 1991 to 2010
- Trident-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
- Géranium-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
- Jonquille-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
- Vedette-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
- Pétulante-class patrol craft, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
- Pavois-class patrol craft, (Maritime Gendarmerie)
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hellenic Navy
HSY-56A Gunboat HS Aittitos, P-268
Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Coast Guard
- Saar 4[7] acting as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV)
- Stan Patrol 5509 OPV
- Vosper Europatrol 250 Mk1 OPV
- Abeking & Rasmussen Patrol Vessels, class Dilos
- POB-24G Patrol Vessels, class Faiakas
- CB90-HCG
- Lambro 57 and derivatives, all being boats for coastal patrols
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Police Force
Iceland
India
The
Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel ICGS
Vishwast (OPV-30) at the port of Kobe, Japan.
- Car Nicobar-class patrol vessel, Indian Navy
- Saryu-class patrol vessel, Indian Navy
- Bangaram-class patrol vessel, Indian Navy
- Sukanya-class patrol vessel, Indian Navy
- Samar-class offshore patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Vishwast-class offshore patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Sarojini Naidu-class patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Tara Bai-class patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Priyadarshini-class patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Jija Bai-class patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
- Aadesh-class patrol vessel, Indian Coast Guard
Indonesia
- FPB 28, Indonesian Police and Indonesian Customs, 28 meter long patrol boat made by local shipyard PT PAL.
- FPB 38, Indonesian Customs, 38 meter long aluminium patrol boat made by local shipyard PT PAL.
- FPB 57, Indonesian Navy, 57 meter long patrol boat designed by Lurssen and made by PT PAL, ASM and heli deck equipped for some version.
- PC-40, Indonesian Navy, 40 meter long FRP/Aluminum patrol boat, locally made by in house Navy's workshop.
- PC-60 trimaran, Indonesian Navy, 63-meter-long composite material, is armed with 120 km range of anti-ship missile, made by PT Lundin industry
- OPV 80 - 80 meter long marine steel, is armed with 57 mm main gun, designed by Terafulk and made by PT Citra Shipyard
- OPV 110 - 110 meter long marine steel grade A, is armed with 57 mm main gun, made by PT Palindo Marine Shipyard
Ireland
Irish Naval Service[8]
Israel
Italy
Italian Navy
Comandanti-class
Cigala Fulgosi
Italian Coast Guard patrol boat
U. Diciotti, CP-902
Japan
Japan Coast Guard
"Hida" (PL51)
- Shikishima (Japan Coast Guard), the largest patrol boat.
- Mizuho-class (Japan Coast Guard),Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck and hangar.
- Tsugaru-class (Japan Coast Guard),Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck and hangar.
- Hida class (Japan Coast Guard), high-speed Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck.
- Kunigami class (Kunisaki class)
- Iwami class
- Hateruma class
- Aso class (Japan Coast Guard), high-speed Large patrol Vessel.
- Amami class (Japan Coast Guard), medium-sized patrol Vessel
- Hayabusa-class (JMSDF,Japanese Navy), Corvette class patrol vessel by JMSDF(Navy) Fleet.
- "S?ya",(Japan Coast Guard), icebreaker
Latvia
Malaysia
- Kedah class offshore patrol vessel, (Royal Malaysian Navy)
- Gagah Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Ramunia Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Nusa Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Sipadan Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Rhu Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Pengawal Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Peninjau Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Pelindung Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Semilang Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Penggalang Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Penyelamat Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Pengaman Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Kilat Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Malawali Class Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Langkawi Class Patrol Ship,Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Malta
Mexico
ARM
Oaxaca, lead boat of the
Oaxaca-class.
Durango-class offshore patrol vessels in formation.
- Mexican Navy;
- Coastal patrol boat
- Offshore patrol vessel
Montenegro
Kotor class frigate of the Montenegrin Navy
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Royal Norwegian Navy
NoCGV Tor (W334 KYSTVAKT) from Nornen Class of the Norwegian Coast Guard
Norwegian Coast Guard
Philippines
Philippine Navy
Philippine Coast Guard
Peru
Portugal
NRP
Viana do Castelo, offshore patrol vessel of the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
National Republican Guard (GNR)
Romania
Russia
Russian Coast Guard Rubin class patrol boat Zhemchug on the Almaz Shipbuilding Company
- Stenka class patrol boat(Project 02059), Russian Navy and Russian Coast Guard
- Bogomol Class patrol boat(Project 02065), Russian Navy
- Mirage class patrol vessel(Project 14310), Russian Coast Guard
- Svetlyak class patrol boat(Project 10410), Russian Coast Guard
- Ogonek class patrol boat(Project 12130), Russian Coast Guard
- Mangust class patrol boat(Project 12150, Russian Coast Guard
- Sobol class patrol boat(Project 12200), Russian Coast Guard
- Terrier class patrol boat (Project 14170), Russian Navy and Russian Coast Guard
- Rubin class patrol boat(Project 22460), Russian Coast Guard
- Okean class patrol vessel(Project 22100), Russian Coast Guard
- Vosh class river patrol craft(Project 12481), Russian Coast Guard
- Piyavka class river patrol craft(Project 1249), Russian Coast Guard
- Ogonek class river patrol craft(Project 12130), Russian Coast Guard
Senegal
Fouladou, OPV 190 from Senegalese navy
- Fouladou (OPV 190), Senegalese Navy
- Kedougou (OPV 45), Senegalese Navy
- Ferlo (RPB 33), Senegalese Navy
- Conejera (Class Conejera P 31), Senegalese Navy
- Fouta (Osprey 55), Senegalese Navy
- Njambuur (PR 72), Senegalese Navy
Singapore
Police Coast Guard third generation PT Class Flower Ray(PT65),conducting a sea-rescue demonstration
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Sweden
- Hugin-class (based on the Norwegian Storm-class, decommissioned) - 16 ships
- Kaparen-class (Hugin-class modified with better subhunting capacity, decommissioned) - 8 ships
- Stockholm-class (commissioned as corvettes, later converted to patrol boats) - 2 ships
- HMS Carlskrona (commissioned as minel layer, later converted to ocean patrol vessel)
Additionally, the Royal Swedish Navy also operates smaller types of patrol boats (Swedish: bevakningsbåt = "guard boat"):
The Swedish Coast Guard operate an additional 22 patrol vessels for maritime surveillance.
Thailand
Turkey
- K?l?ç II class, Turkish Navy
- K?l?ç I class,Turkish Navy
- Y?ld?z class,Turkish Navy
- Rüzgar class,Turkish Navy
- Do?an class,Turkish Navy
- Kartal class,Turkish Navy
- Türk class,Turkish Navy
- Tuzla class,Turkish Navy
- KAAN 15 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- KAAN 19 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- KAAN 29 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- KAAN 33 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- SAR 33 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- SAR 35 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
- 80 class,Turkish Coast Guard Command
United Kingdom
United States
United States Navy
United States Coast Guard
Vietnam
- Type TT-120 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard
- Type TT-200 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard
- Type TT-400 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard
- DN 2000(Damen 9014 class) offshore patrol vessels, Vietnam Coast Guard
References