Schultz: Two FRCs Soon to Depart for Basing in Persian Gulf

The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned the USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145), Patrol Forces Southwest Asia’s fourth 154-foot Sentinel-class cutter, into service at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia on Oct. 15. The ship will soon be bound for basing in Bahrain along with the USGCG Glenn Harris (WPF 1144). *U.S. COAST GUARD / Clinton Muir*

ARLINGTON, Va. — The second pair of Sentinel fast-response cutters are soon to depart U.S. waters on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean bound for permanent basing in the Persian Gulf.

Coast Guard Commandant Karl Schultz, speaking Dec. 8 at a Navy League Special Topic Breakfast, said the two 154-foot-long FRCs will be escorted across the ocean by the USCGC Thetis (WMEC 910), a Famous-class medium-endurance cutter that was topping off with fuel in Puerto Rico. Schultz said that after the escort mission the Thetis will be operating off Africa.

The two FRCs, USCGC Glenn Harris (WPC 1144) and USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145), will replace two of the four remaining Island-class 110-foot-long patrol boats in Patrol Forces Southwest Asia at their base in Bahrain.

Earlier this year, the first two FRCs assigned to the Persian Gulf, USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC Robert Goldman (WPC 1142), were escorted across the Atlantic by the national security cutter USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753).

The first two FRCs in the Gulf replaced the Island-class patrol boats USCGC Adak (WPB 1333) and USCGC Aquidneck (WPB 1309), which were decommissioned on June 15 for transfer to Indonesia.

Patrol Forces Southwest Asia conducts maritime security patrols in the Persian Gulf in concert with the U.S. 5th Fleet and other allies and partners

The voyage to Bahrain from the U.S. East Coast covers 9,000 nautical miles.