Medium endurance cutter

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Template:Short description

The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter mainly consisting of the Template:Convert Famous- and Template:Convert 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 Template:Convert Template:USCGC, and the now-decommissioned Template:Convert Template:USCGC, and Template:Convert Template:USCGC,[3] and Template:Convert Template:USCGC which began as the United States Navy Template:Sclass Template:USS launched in 1943.

There are 13 vessels in the Famous class, and 12 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]

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

Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship class overviewTemplate:Infobox ship characteristics

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 Template:Convert Template:Sclass2s, and their mission profile emphasized law enforcement, particularly patrolling the newly established Template:Convert exclusive economic zone.[5]

The Coast Guard harvested weapons systems components from decommissioned Template:Sclasss 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

File:USCGC Harriet Lane WMEC 903 moored at NS Guantanamo Bay.jpg
Template:USCGC moored at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
File:USCG Seneca.jpg
The cutter Template:USCGC in the Casco Bay in Falmouth, Maine. Chebeague and Little Chebeague Island are behind her.
Famous class
Hull number Name Commissioned Status
WMEC-901 Template:USCGC February 4, 1983[7] Active
WMEC-902 Template:USCGC March 16, 1984[7] Active
WMEC-903 Template:USCGC September 20, 1984[7] Active
WMEC-904 Template:USCGC December 17, 1984[7] Active
WMEC-905 Template:USCGC June 28, 1986[7] Active
WMEC-906 Template:USCGC May 4, 1987[7] Active
WMEC-907 Template:USCGC August 27, 1987[7] Active
WMEC-908 Template:USCGC April 6, 1988[7] Active
WMEC-909 Template:USCGC August 19, 1988[7] Active
WMEC-910 Template:USCGC June 30, 1989[7] Active
WMEC-911 Template:USCGC August 4, 1990[8] Active
WMEC-912 Template:USCGC August 4, 1990[8] Active
WMEC-913 Template:USCGC March 20, 1991[8] Active

Service Life Extension Program

The service life extension (SLEP) program for eight cutters of the class started in July 2021 with prototype work for electrical and structural systems on the Seneca and Harriet Lane. Additionally, Harriet Lane served as the prototype for the replacement of the main gun with a Mk38 Mod 3 25mm machine gun.[9] The production phase of the SLEP, which will be carried out on Spencer, Legare, Campbell, Forward, Escanaba and Tahoma, covers four main areas: the electrical, structural and weapons systems work prototyped on Seneca and Harriet Lane and finally replacement of the main propulsion Diesel engines.[10] The last SLEP is expected to be complete by 2030.[11]

SLEP Status
Hull number Name Entered SLEP Departed SLEP
WMEC-906 Template:USCGC July 2021[10] April 4, 2022[12]
WMEC-903 Template:USCGC March 28, 2022[12] August 3, 2023[9]
WMEC-905 Template:USCGC July 1, 2023[10] March 8, 2025[11]
WMEC-912 Template:USCGC June 24, 2024[13]
WMEC-909 Template:USCGC
WMEC-911 Template:USCGC
WMEC-907 Template:USCGC
WMEC-908 Template:USCGC

Reliance-class cutter

Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship class overviewTemplate:Infobox ship characteristics

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 Template:Convert cutters of the Prohibition era and were the first major cutter replacement project since the Template:Convert Template:Sclasss 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 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-616 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-617 Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Active
WMEC-618 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-619 Template:USCGC In commission, special status
WMEC-620 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-621 Template:USCGC In commission, special status
WMEC-622 Template:USCGC Decommissioned
WMEC-623 Template:USCGC Decommissioned
WMEC-624 Template:USCGC In commission, special status
WMEC-625 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-626 Template:USCGC In commission, special status
WMEC-627 Template:USCGC Active
WMEC-628 Template:USCGC Decommissioned
WMEC-629 Template:USCGC Decommissioned
WMEC-630 Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Active

USCGC Valiant (WMEC-621) was removed from active service and placed in commission, special status on 17 June 2025.[14]

USCGC Courageous (WMEC 622) was decommissioned on 19 September 2001. She was transferred to the government of Sri Lanka on 24 June 2004 as Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (P-621).

USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623) was decommissioned on 1 February 2024.[15]

USCGC Dauntless (WMEC-624) was removed from active service and placed in commission, special status on 21 June 2024. As of that date she had served 56 years. She and Steadfast are the only two Coast Guard cutters to have seized one million pounds of marijuana.[16]

USCGC Dependable (WMEC-626) was removed from active service and placed in commission, special status on 9 April 2024. Her crew were transferred to other Coast Guard units to help meet the service-wide shortage of enlisted personnel.[17]

USCGC Durable (WMEC-628) 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).

USCGC Decisive (WMEC-629) was decommissioned on 2 March 2023.[18]

Notes

Template:Reflist

References

Template:Commons category multi

  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – HDTV documentary shows the Famous-class cutter patrolling the south coastal region of the United States in February and March 1999.
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
File:USCGC Diligence WPC-616 stern.jpg
Template:USCGC in 1965. Note the lack of exhaust stacks and the exhaust ports at the waterline on the transom on the original design. Reliance class cutters would have stacks added during future overhauls.

Template:Famous class cutter Template:Reliance class cutter

  1. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Verify credibility
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ U.S. Navy harvests decommissioned Frigates weapon systems for U.S. Coast Guard use Template:Webarchive - Navyrecognition.com, 26 October 2014
  7. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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