Being Replaced: Coast Guard crew members aboard four 52-foot Motor Life Boats and one 47-foot Motor Life Boat transit in formation outbound of Yaquina Bay, Ore., April 9, 2019. The four 52-foot MLBs are the only active vessels of their kind and the crews are assigned to different units across the Pacific Northwest, which is why having all four together for the roundup was a rare occurrence. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Trevor Lilburn)

The Acquisitions Directorate has announced the release of a request for proposal for six boats to replace the 52 foot MLBs which were taken out of service more than three years ago. You can find the RFP here.

The proposal should give the Coast Guard some very capable craft. I did not read the entire 196 pages front to back, but I did manage to find out some of the capabilities included in the specifications.

First some limits:

• Length 64 feet or less
• Beam 22 feet or less
• Draft 7 feet or less

Other characteristics:

• Speed: at least 20 knots
• Cruise Speed: 16 knots
• Minimum Speed: 5 knots or less
• Range: 500 nautical miles
• Crew: Minimum 4

Missions:

• SAR is number one, but also
• Marine Safety
• Law Enforcement
• Ports Waterways and Coastal Security
• Marine Environmental Protection
• plus, anything else they might use it for.

Capabilities:

They are expected to operate in 35′ seas, 60 knot winds, and 25′ surf.

The boats will support a relief crew of four for missions that last more than 10 hours in calm waters or more than six hours in more demanding conditions. There is also seating for five survivors for a total of 13 seats. Berthing is limited to four.

The boats will have both open and enclosed bridges. It will be equipped with a bow thruster, recovery wells on either side and a powered towline reel.

Communications include satellite phone, and if I understand correctly, encrypted voice and data.

In addition to radar, sensors will include Electro Optics and Infra-Red (EO/IR).

Maybe We Need More than Six:

As I have noted before, such vessels could replace 87 foot WPBs that are approaching the end useful life in at least some ports and do it with a smaller crew and probably better seakeeping. They might not encounter 25 foot surf as frequently as the those in the Pacific Northwest, but the capability to deal with heavy weather will be there when needed. They don’t have the endurance of WPBs but when cases extend beyond their endurance, FRCs should take over. I do hope they are a bit faster than 20 knots, after all the 47 footers can do 25 knots.