Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers, a rescue swimmer, Air Station Astoria

Below is a Coast Guard news release. 

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers, an aviation survival technician assigned to Air Station Astoria, Oregon, passed away following injuries sustained during a rescue operation offshore. Jaggers was honored posthumously during a ceremony recognizing his extraordinary heroism, and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and meritoriously advanced in rank for actions during a medical emergency response aboard a commercial vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo)

This is, I believe, a very informative video. In addition there are some things that are worth noting,

• Deployed forces: Typically the US Navy has about a third of its fleet deployed and about one quarter actually underway. If you look at the list of ships that appears at time 5:45 to 6:30 you will see 23 destroyers involved in this operation. None of these destroyers are in the Pacific. The US navy has about 82 destroyers and cruisers. A third of 82 is 27.3, so there cannot be a lot of surface combatants deployed in the Pacific. This only accounts for two of the eleven aircraft carriers, Ford in the Eastern Med and Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. The George Washington carrier strike group is in their homeport in Japan, but that is the only carrier strike group and essentially the only destroyers assigned to 7th Fleet. There is not a lot left if say China attacked Taiwan.
• Weapons effect: This video contains a couple of interesting reports of weapons effect. The rapid sinking of the Iranian corvette (time 17:45) with very heavy loss of life was not unexpected considering the target was small and was probably not at general quarters. The effects of the attack on an LNG carrier using an unmanned surface vessel (USV) time 22:00) were I believe surprising–surprising the crew escaped and only one tank was blown out.
• Merchant vessel losses in the Persian Gulf: There are lot of merchant vessels “trapped” in the Persian Gulf including ships that are tied up, but losses of these ships has been surprisingly light. A small number of ships have successfully transited the Hormuz Strait without being attacked. Maybe Iranian targeting is not so good, but maybe they will regroup and get better.

Apparently the 192 acre campus of Birmingham Southern College has been purchased by the Coast Guard as the site of the new training center.

Thanks to Laura for bringing this to my attention.  

Bill Battle Coliseum at Birmingham-Southern College. 6 December 2013. Credit: Cdog91

Photos below were found here: they were taken at least eight years ago.

The US Naval Institute interviewed Nolan Cain, Cdr. USCG, about an article he had written for the Institute’s “Naval History” magazine about the torpedoing and sinking of USCGC Alexander Hamilton (WPG-34), January 29/30, 1942.

As a former XO of USCGC Duane (WPG/WHEC-33), I have great affection for this class of ships. I have included all the photos I have of USCGC Alexander Hamilton.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, 1937, WPG 34; later HAMILTON “U.S.C.G.C Alexander Hamilton STBD. Side Norfolk Navy Yard Portsmouth, VA Photo Serial 8482(41) Dec 27, 1941

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, 1937, WPG 34; later HAMILTON “U.S.C.G.C. Alexander Hamilton view from stern looking forward Norfolk Navy Yard Portsmouth, VA. Photo Serial 2430(41) Dec. 27, 1941.

USCGC Alexander Hamilton (WPG-34)

Above is a video from Naval News. They have more news about the class here.

Specifications:

• Length: 80 m (262.4′)
• Beam: 13 m (42.64′)
• Draught: 4 m (13.12′)
• Speed: 20 knots (maximum)
• Range: 7,400 kilometres (4,000 nautical miles)
• Displacement: approx. 1,640 tons
• Crew: 40 crew with accommodation for up to 60 personnel
• Armament: 25mm gun / 2 x 50 calibre machine guns

This design was selected in November 2017. Since then, the buy has been reduced from 12 to six ships. There were delays and cost overruns and questions about the appropriateness of the design for Australia’s requirements.

You may note that the video tour does not include the flight deck. In fact there is no hanger and the flight deck is not intended for use by helicopters. The ships will probably get an Unmanned Air System (UAS). How the flight deck might be used for other purposes is being considered.

It does appear they have a very complete outfit of ship’s boats, two 8.5 meter and one 10.5 meter RHIBs.

Below are the comments that accompanied the video on YouTube.

Naval News takes you on a tour aboard HMAS Arafura, the latest Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of the Royal Australian Navy, with the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft. This video was recorded in November 2025 during Indo Pacific 2025 in Sydney.

Commissioned on 28 June 2025, HMAS Arafura is an Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). It is the first of 6 Arafura Class ships built to replace the Armidale-class and Cape-class patrol boats. Arafura was constructed by Luerssen Australia in partnership with ASC Pty Ltd at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. The vessel will support specialist mission packages such as a maritime tactical unmanned aerial system. In the future, it will support rapid environmental assessment and deployable mine countermeasure capabilities. Protecting Australia’s coastal and territorial waters, Arafura’s primary focus will be on fisheries protection, border security, customs and law enforcement operations. Patrolling Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Arafura will work with Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. It will also collaborate with regional partners to uphold Australian and International law. This is to ensure our region’s security, defence and economic prosperity against:

• unauthorised entry
• breaches of customs, immigration and drugs legislation
• illegal activity
• risks to the integrity of national fish-stocks, marine environments and other natural resources.

Arafura’s home port is HMAS Stirling; the ship sails with the graceful and adaptable white-spotted eagle stingray on its badge. The first 2 Arafura-class ships were delivered from South Australia. The remaining 4 will be built in Western Australia by Civmec.

PATFORSWA FRCs in homeport. PATFORSWA photo.

The Coast Guard Patrol Force South West Asia is based in Bahrain. The US naval base there has been hit by Iranian forces. There have been no reports of US casualties.

Above is a video about the seizure of Motor Tanker Bella 1/aka Marinera on January 7.

We talked about the seizure earlier but this has a lot more detail. I am not familiar with the source so I can’t say how reliable they are but I think you will find it plausible though the telling is a bit too RAH-RAH for my taste. Not all the video is appropriate.

According to the video, the boarding party was exclusively Coast Guard fast roping from an H-65 with Special Ops providing backup in the form of teams on two MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopters that also launched from USCGC Munro. That would be surprising. Would love to get comments from someone who was there.

Thanks to David for bringing this to my attention. 

Daily Mail reports,

“Four people killed aboard a Florida-registered speed boat following an alleged shootout with the Cuban coast guard were US residents, local officials said.

“The deceased were among a group of ten ‘armed’ individuals who had entered the country’s waters to carry out a terror attack, Cuba‘s government claimed in a statement issued Wednesday night.

“Six others aboard the vessel were left injured after they exchanged gunfire with the coast guard, per the Ministry of the Interior of Cuba. The New York Times reported that all those on board the boat were Cuban citizens living in the US.

We don’t have the other side of the story. If the report from Cuba is correct, we shouldn’t be surprised by the use of force, and while tensions between the US and Cuba are currently high, the incident probably would have gone this way at any time since the Bay of  Pigs fiasco.

Tensions may have actually already peaked.

“…it broke on Wednesday that the Trump administration is now allowing American companies to resell Venezuelan oil to private companies in Cuba. The new guidance came from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.”

OPV Vivaldi (P 440) is the first PPX vessel for the Italian Navy. Fincantieri picture.

Naval News reports the launching of the first of four PPX project Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Italian Navy. The contract for the first three ships was signed in mid 2023 and the first keel was laid 12 December 2024.

As I noted at the time,

Fincantieri is the parent company of the Marinette based shipyard that has been building Freedom class LCS and will be building the US Navy’s new frigates. That shipyard also built USCGC Mackinaw, the 16 Juniper class WLBs, and the 14 Keeper class WLMs.

We know now that Fincantieri has finished with the Freedom class LCSs and will build only two Constellation class frigates.

The new generation will be able to operate both rotary-wing manned and unmanned platforms. (Fincantieri)

We need more new ships, and we need them fast. Looks like with few modifications, we could build these as complements to currently contracted OPCs to give us a true WMEC replacement. They are built as combatants to Naval specifications. They can operate H-60 sized helicopters and UAS. They are designed for pollution response. They have the potential for adding a towed array and possibly AAW missiles. Unlike most cutters these ships have redundant propulsion systems in two separate engine rooms. These could serve as corvettes in wartime.

An earlier Naval News report included more technical information,

“With a full load displacement of about 2,400 t, an overall length of about 95 meters (311.6 feet–Chuck), a maximum beam of 14.2 meters, a construction height of 8.4 meters and a maximum draft of only 5.4 meters to operate from a wide range of harbours. The OPV hull design is characterized by bow area featuring a bulb and a completely covered mooring area, alongside  active stabilizer fins amidships to ensure operational capability in high sea state conditions and rough weather.

“The CODLAD (COmbined Diesel-eLectric And Diesel) propulsion system is configured on two shaft lines, each including an 8 MW (ISO 3046) MTU 16V8000M91L diesel engine and a 500 kW Marelli reversible electric motor, directly connected to a double input/single output gearbox and controllable pitch propellers, while the rudders are of the conventional type. The diesel engines together with the electric ones must ensure a maximum speed exceeding 24 knots, while the electric motors provide… operating speeds up to 10 knots. Maximum range is 3,500 nm at a speed of 14 knots (more at lower speeds, particularly if the electric propulsion is used–Chuck), with a maximum mission endurance of 20 days.

“The electric power generation and distribution plant is based on four Isotta Fraschini V1708C2ME5 diesel gensets of around 680 kWe each divided in two separate electrical stations. The compartment arrangement for the propulsion and power generating equipment guarantees 50% of the propulsion power with damage to a single compartment and 50% of the electrical power with damage to two contiguous compartments.”

The new OPV will incorporate the new Naval Cockpit derived from the PPA solution and developed by Fincantieri and Leonardo. (Fincantieri)