Facing a common opponent in the South China Sea, relations between Washington and Manila have deepened in recent years. As the most recent news is a gift (grant) from the US Navy (US Navy) to the Philippine Navy, in the form of two units of Cyclone class patrol boats.
To be precise, the US Navy delivered the USS Monsoon and USS Chinook, which were recently decommissioned after nearly three decades of service. According to a press release – navy.mil (28/3/2023), the two patrol boats are the last of 10 similar vessels stationed in Bahrain to carry out operations in shallow waters.
The Philippine Navy is no stranger to the Cyclone class patrol boats, because in 2004, the Philippine Navy operated BRP General Mariano Alvarez, formerly known as the USS Cyclone belonging to the US Navy. The patrol boats, sent through the US military aid package, are expected to enhance the Philippines' maritime security and counterterrorism capabilities.
After several years of using the Cyclone, the Philippine Littoral Combat Force declared its intention to acquire more ships. Then the Philippines sent a team to visually inspect the ship in Hawaii and Bahrain.
The Cyclone class was deployed in Manama, Bahrain, to secure the 5,000-mile (8,046-kilometer) coastline of the Arabian Gulf. After being decommissioned, the US Navy granted five of them to the Royal Bahraini Navy to continue their mission.
Not only for Bahrain, the US Navy also gave the Cyclone class to the Egyptian Navy to receive the former USS Hurricane, USS Sirocco and USS Thunderbolt. Bahrain, Egypt and the Philippines are members of the US-led Combined Maritime Forces international naval partnership.
Manufactured by Bollinger Shipyards, Cyclone class patrol boats are classified as coastal patrol ships. This ship has a full displacement of 336 tonnes, for dimensions – 55 meters long and 2.3 meters wide.
The Cyclone class is powered by 4 × Paxman 16RP200- 1-CM diesel engines and 4 × shafts, Reintjes reverse reduction gear box – with a power of 3,350 shp. This ship has a maximum speed of 35 knots (equivalent to 65 km per hour) and can sail as far as 4,600 km at an economical speed of 12 knots (22 km per hour).
For weapons, the Cyclone class is equipped with 2 × 25 mm MK 38 autocannon; 2 × 12.7 mm heavy machine guns; 2 × 40 mm MK 19 automatic grenade launchers; 2 × medium machine guns 7.62 mm M240B machine guns; 6 × MANPADS FIM-92 Stinger missiles; and 2 × MK-60 quadruple BGM-176B Griffin B missile launchers. The Cyclone class is manned by 4 officers and 24 crew members.
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