The first of an interesting series of offshore patrol vessels that approximate MEC/OPCs has completed sea trials. There is much more detailed information about the project here. Their hybrid machinery arrangement is particularly interesting.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
So why isn’t the US Coast Guard sending someone over, to take a look at the ship and take it for a test drive to see if it works for us. If it dose, then the US Coast Guard should hand them a Contract to deliver a batch to the US.
Nicky, I gotta agree with you, it seems like a perfect system. The foriegn template seems to have worked for the Sentinel class and Marine Protector class. Don’t know if what you say is going to happen though.
Chuck, the problem is something that the Coast Guard has dealt with before – NIH not invented here.
I believe the USCG willbe restricted from buying foreign built ships as is the USN, but obviously their design could be builit in a US shipyard. Or how about a bareboat charter?
Nevertheleass these ships are interesting beauase they offer capabilites to both the USN and USCG. Some good sized production run can be solicited with some going to each service.
The Spanish Navy link you gave gives informative descriptions which I recomment to all.
This design is not as fast as the Coast Guard would like, but that is probably fixable. It seems to have good aviation facilities, better range than most although still not as much as the CG would like. I like the fact that it has provision for mounting containers, but the design feature that I like best is the hybrid propulsion.
Fuel costs are already a big part of operating costs and are likely to become even more significant in the future. It takes almost four times more HP to go 25 knots we hope for compared to the 18 we can typically do on diesels now. Using four engines rather than two would help, but the big diesels that will be required will not be efficient at low cruising or loitering speeds. With about 2,000 HP available from the electric motors, which should be good for at least 11 knots, perhaps as much as 13, these ships will be able to operate very efficiently. Using AZIPODs might be even better.
A nice set of pictures here:
http://www.fotosdebarcos.org/viewtopic.php?t=19604&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30
don’t think 35 crew size is sufficient for 6 week patrol typical of mec’s. Watchstanding, normal workdays and what ifs. Was mk1 on CGC Campbell during M/V harbour bust and salvage, around ’92 or so, have to dig out my journal for date, and for about 2 weeks we had around 10 folks per 12 hour shift keeping that thing afloat, away from Cuba and getting it back to Miami. I know that myself and the other snipes involved were also standing our watches, don’t know about other rates. That doesn’t include the boat crews and boarding teams/ security, 5,000 lbs of toot on board.
One of the best patrols I ever had.
Different countries organize differently and have different expectations. In some cases boarding teams or helo tiedown crews are not part of the regular crew. They may be from different agencies and may not be counted as part of the crew.
with a ship 90 meters and of 35 personnel, two things can be guaranteed – it will be unable to perform a law enforcement mission of any kind without being augmented by a LEDET, and it will have next to no damage control capability.
That ship better never catch on fire or run aground where other assistance isn’t readily available.
Not unlike the crew concept for the Littoral Combat Ship. Definitely not a two damage control team ship. Would never make it through REFTRA.
REFTRA has not existed since the early 1990s.
That’s too bad.What are they doing instead?
Same as the Navy.
TACT/TATA?
TACT = Tailored Annual Cutter Training. We did this from about 2006 to 2009. Typically 12-14 month cycle. The schedule implications were difficult. The training sine curve actually did what was expected and moderated between events.
TSTA = Tailored Ships Training Availability. Advertised 16 – 24 month cycle. TSTA replaced REFTRA somewhere along the line but I was in the bouytender fleet and we were doing SEAOPS at the time. Please don’t ask…..
An announcement of the commissioning of the third ship of the class.
http://www.navantia.es/noticia.php?id_noti=174
But what really caught my eye was a video of the ship underway, apparently on sea trials.
http://nosint.blogspot.com/2012/02/navantia-commissions-opv-for-spanish.html
Looks very good “in the flesh.” Watching full screen you can see that the ship is using the camera plane as a training opportunity, tracking it with its 76 mm.
Here’s my question, Why hasn’t CG sent people to take a look at the ship to see if it can work as an OPC. From seeing the Youtube vids of the ship underway, It sure looks like it can replace the 210’s and even the 270’s. Here’s the Specs on the Buque de Acción Marítima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buque_de_Acci%C3%B3n_Mar%C3%ADtima
Here’s the Youtube vids on the Spanish OPC
Navantia: BVL Buque de Vigilancia Litoral
Navantia: Pruebas de Mar BAM 512 “Rayo”
Navantia: BVL Naiguatá
http://youtu.be/8Qy6IIMh7eo
Navantia: Pruebas de mar del BAM P-43 ‘Relámpago’ H264
Nicky, You actually reference two different classes, both built by Navantia, but different ships.
The BVL (Buque de Vigilancia de Litoral) Naiguatá was built for Venezuela and is 79.9 meters (262′) and 1720 tons full load (virtually the same size as a 270) but has no help hanger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaicamacuto_class_patrol_boat
We talked about these a little when reporting the delivery of a larger class of Venezuelan Patrol vessel here: http://cgblog.org/2011/05/24/venezuelas-new-offshore-patrol-cutter/
The BAM (Buque de Acción Marítima) is built for Spain and is a bit bigger at 93.9 meters (308′) and 2500 tons, and has a hanger for a relatively large NH90 helicopter.
Chuck,
I would what would it take to get CG to send someone over to Navantia to see about taking a test cruise on the BAM (Buque de Acción Marítima). I think the Bam would be perfect to replace the 210 and 270’s. Though my main concern is how will it operating in the Bearing sea and the North Atlantic.
We don’t know that they have not done that, or that they have not looked at other new OPVs. And, while it is virtually impossible we would get a foreign yard to build Coast Guard Cutters, it is certainly possible that an American yard would adapt a foreign design, including one of these to meet CG requirement.
I also hope they will confer with other similar organizations and benefit from their experience.
Maybe Navantia can partner with a US Shipyard to build the Ship according to specs. Like the FRC, which is a is foreign design, but being built in the US by US Shipyards. We can do the same approach for the OPC as well. Buy a foreign design, but have it built in the US by a US based Shipyard. Maybe the Spanish designed BAM, is perfect for OPC or The US Coast Guard can get a version of the OPC that the Royal Moroccan Navy is getting called the SIGMA 10514 or the Sigma class corvette. The other option I think the US Coast Guard can consider is the Holland class offshore patrol vessels, that the Royal Netherlands Navy is getting.
I don’t get why it is assumed no designs exist in the United States that would work just fine.
Have you seen where our Naval shipbuilding talent has gone to. Where our Naval designers have gone to. It seems we lost all the talent for Naval ship design to European Navies.
I don’t assume that is the case, but ship building is an international business now and new designs evolve from existing ones. Knowing what others have done gives a benchmark to meet or exceed. The way the French did the stern launch on the L’Adroit is interesting as is the hybrid plant on the BAM.
Something the US Military should have taken advantage of. They should have made Naval design and Naval architecture a National security asset and should have done everything to keep those who are talented from going overseas. Look at those in College who major in Naval architecture and Naval Design and where are all those jobs are going to.