Photo: CSBC Corporation

Like many Asian nations, Taiwan is rapidly expanding their Coast Guard Administration (CGA). Naval News reports that Taiwan has launched it’s largest Coast Guard vessel ever, “Chiayi” (CG-5001). This is only part of a general major expansion.

“CGA has a programme to build 141 coast guard ships from 2018 to 2027. The programme includes four 4000-ton class patrol vessels, six 1000-ton class patrol vessels, twelve 600-ton class patrol vessels, seventeen 100-ton class patrol boats, fifty-two 35-ton class patrol boats and fifty littoral utility boats. Taiwanese media also  reported that the CGA is considering to establish aviation units, and have sent a report on this issue to the parliament in April.”

Nominally these are 4,000 ton ships, but given the Asian tendency to use light displacement, its full load approach 5,000 tons. This may be reflected in the ship’s hull number, 5001, since, while most of their larger ships have three digit hull numbers, some of their smaller vessels have five digit hull numbers, where the first two or three digits that reflect their nominal displacement.

We talked briefly about these ships earlier. Interestingly the Taiwanese refer to these ships as frigates. The description says the “frigate is equipped with rockets and machine guns.”

After much searching, I finally found some more detailed information about these ships.

The Chiayi, which will be deployed at the CGA’s central base, is 125 meters (410 feet) long, 16.5 meters (54.1 feet) wide and can travel up to 10,000 nautical miles at a maximum speed of 24 knots, the CGA said.

In terms of its weapons system, it will be equipped with a 2.75-inch rocket launcher, two 20 millimeter cannons, and several water cannons with a range of 120 meters, the CGA said.

The Chiayi is one of four 4,000-ton CGA patrol ships commissioned to CSBC at a total cost of NT$ 11.74 billion (US$392 million), according to Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽), head of the CGA Fleet Branch.

It appears they are at least as large as the Offshore Patrol Cutters and National Security Cutters, perhaps a little larger.

What is the 2.75 inch rocket launcher referred to above? I found reference to a “multi-barrel Zhenhai rocket system” in a post about their new 600 ton cutter with a wave piercing catamaran hull, that included the artist’s presentation, seen above, of the vessel with what appears to be multiple rocket launcher on the bow. These might be a Taiwanese equivalent of the APKWS guided rocket system. If the rockets were not guided, they would be relatively useless for Coast Guard applications.

There is a discussion of the history and missions of the Taiwan Coast Guard Authority from 2017 here..

The Taiwanese Coast Guard is about 1/3 the size of the US Coast Guard, even though its EEZ is only about 1/136th that of the US. It has at least 14 ships of over 1000 tons.

“Lake Assault Boats has been chosen to produce up to 119 Force Protection-Medium (FP-M) patrol boats by the U.S. Navy. The five-year contract carries a maximum value of $56 million, and the first deliveries will begin in November 2020.” (Note there is access to the bow by a hatch, not included on this illustration–Chuck) 

Below is a press release from Lake Assault Boats. This is about $470,600 per boat if all 119 are completed :

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Feb 24, 2020) ­– Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Shipyards and a leading manufacturer of fire, patrol, and rescue craft, has been chosen to supply up to 119 Force Protection-Medium (FP-M) patrol boats to the U.S. Navy. The five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quanity (IDIQ) contract carries a maximum value of $56 million, and the first deliveries will begin in November 2020.

The FP-M patrol boats will provide security for U.S. Navy Ships and personnel from waterborne threats in and outside of Navy ports around the world. “We are honored to be chosen by the U.S. Navy to supply it with these versatile and powerful FP-M patrol craft,” said Chad DuMars, Lake Assault Boat vice president of operations. “Our FP-M vessels will be engineered and built to the same high manufacturing and quality control standards as our patrol and fire boats currently in service throughout North America.”

An operational requirement for the boats is to provide Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection patrols for U.S. Navy Installations, which includes; patrol, interrogation of other waterborne assets, and escorting large vessels in and out of port in various weather and water conditions throughout the year, day and night. Each of the 33-foot long craft will have a 10-foot beam and feature a full cuddy cabin. Twin 225-hp outboard motors will power each boat, which will carry four weapon mounts capable of accommodating up to .50 caliber machine guns. The aluminum V-hull boats are protected by a polyurethane foam collar wrap.

“Our selection, after a long and rigorous competitive bid process, represents a significant accomplishment for Lake Assault Boats and our sister company, Fraser Shipyards,” explained DuMars. “Our entire team is very excited and prepared to provide these boats to serve with the U.S. Navy.”

Thanks to Lee for bringing this to my attention. 

A look back at Coast Guard participation in the Battle of the Atlantic, with a short excursion into the Mediterranean.

USCGC Alexander Hamilton (WPG-34)

January 29, 1942, Shortly after dropping the tow of a disabled merchant ship, USCGC Alexander Hamilton was torpedoed on the starboard side by the German submarine U-132, which had been patrolling the Icelandic coast near Reykjavík. The explosion killed twenty men instantly and the total death toll was 26. Hamilton capsized and sank Jan. 30. U-132 would sink 10 ships (39,496 tons) and damage one (6,690 tons). The U-boat would destroyed by the explosion of her last victim, 4 Nov. 1942, with the loss of all 47 aboard.

USCGC Icarus (WPC-110) arriving at Charleston Navy Yard with prisoners of war from the U-boat U-352, 10 May 1942, US Navy photo

May 9, 1942, USCGC Icarus sank U-352 south of Cape Hatteras, 15 dead and 33 survivors. The Navy did an extensive intelligence report on the U-352 and its sinking which is still available on line.

USCGC Thetis (WPC-115)

June 13, 1942, USCGC Thetis, Icarus’ sister ship, sank U-157 in the Gulf of Mexico north of Havana, Cuba with all hands. 52 dead. U-157 had sunk one ship, an American Tanker named Hagen, two officers and four crewmen were lost and three more injured.

Dec. 17, 1942 USCGC Ingham was credited with sinking U-626, but that now seems unlikely. U-626 went missing 14 December 1942 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland. There is no explanation for its loss. 47 dead (all hands lost). She had been underway a total of only 14 fruitless days.

Escanaba rescuing survivors from USAT Dorchester. USCG Image.

Feb. 3, 1943 The Army Transport Dorchester being escorted by the 240 foot Tampa (WPG-48) and two 165 foot “A” class cutters, Escanaba (WPG-77) and Comanche (WPG-76), is torpedoed and sunk by U-223. Despite extraordinary effort by the escorts, of the 904 aboard, there were 675 dead and only 229 survivors.  And U-223? She would sink for otherwise destroy two more merchant vessels, a Canadian frigate, and, on the last day of her existence, sink a Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Loferey, using an acoustic homing torpedo (189 dead). U-223 was

Sunk on 30 March 1944 in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Palermo, in position 38.48N, 14.10E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Laforey and HMS Tumult and the British escort destroyers HMS Hambledon and HMS Blencathra. 23 dead and 27 survivors.

Polish destroyer en:ORP Burza in 1940 in Great Britain. Republic of Poland, Polish Government in Exile.Ministry of Information War Photo Service, London 1940. Press released by Polish Government 1940. Source: Jerzy Pertek Morze w ogniu 1939-1945 : na frontach i za kulisami wojny morskiej T. 1-2. 2nd Edition Poznań 1975

Feb. 22, 1943, Polish destroyer ORP Burza depth charged and force to the surface U-606. USCGC Campbell rammed U-606 sinking the sub in the North Atlantic east of Newfoundland. Campbell was damaged when a diving plane pierced the hull at the engineroom, leaving her dead in the water. Burza protected her until she was taken in tow. U-606, 36 dead and 11 survivors.

USCGC Campbell (WPG-32) heading to port at Norfolk Navy Yard. 26 July 1943. US National Archives, photo 80-G-76569

Mar. 8, 1943, USCGC Spencer sank U-633 in the North Atlantic south-west of Iceland. All hands (43) were lost with the U-boat.  U-633 had only one war patrol and had sunk one ship, the British merchant steamer Guido of 3,921 tons.

At 08.55 hours on 8 March 1943 the Guido was torpedoed and sunk by U-633 about 450 miles east-southeast of Cape Farewell. The vessel was a romper (it had left the convoy and running ahead–Chuck) 10 miles off the starboard bow of convoy SC-121. Eight crew members and two gunners were lost. The master, 28 crew members and six gunners were picked up by USCGC Spencer (WPG 36) and landed at Londonderry.

USCGC Spencer (WPG-36) in 1942 or 1943. Spencer sank U-175 with assistance of USCGC Duane, on April 17, 1943.

April 17, 1943, USCGC Spencer sank U-175 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland. The U-boat suffered 13 dead and had 41 survivors. U-175 had had three war patrols and had sunk 10 ships, total tonnage 40,619 GRT, including four US flag and two US owned of Panamanian registry. 65 crewmember or armed guard died in these ten sinkings.

USCGC Escanaba explodes and sinks off Ivigtut, Greenland, probably as a result of a torpedo. There were only two survivors out of a crew of 103 rescued by the USCGC Raritan.

Jan. 12, 1944 USCGC Duane goes into yard for conversion to an Amphibious Force Flagship, all the remaining 327s will soon follow, ending their career as anti-submarine escorts.

Mar. 9,1944, Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escort, USS Leopold (DE-319) is torpedoed and sunk by an acoustic homing torpedo (GNAT–German Navy Acoustic Torpedo) launched by U-255. U-255 survived the war, having completed 15 war patrols and sinking 12 ships totaling 56,031 tons including seven American merchant ships in addition to USS Leopold.

On 9 March 1944 the US Coast Guard manned USS Leopold (Cmdr. Kenneth Coy Phillips, USCG) was on her second voyage and escorting the convoy CU-16, when she got an acoustic contact about 400 miles south of Iceland and turned to investigate it. But before the destroyer escort reached the U-boat, she was hit at 22.00 hours by a Gnat from U-255 and was abandoned. The vessel broke in two and remained afloat, but both parts sank early the next morning in position 58º44’N, 25º50’W. 172 died which includes all 13 officers and only 28 ratings survived who were picked up by USS Joyce (DE 317).

Apr. 16, 1944, USS Gandy (DE-764) and Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escorts USS Joyce (DE-317) and USS Peterson (DE-152) sank U-550, 70 miles south of Nantucket, Mass, 44 dead and 12 survivors. Some two hours after the attack USS Joyce and USS Peterson together pick up 56 survivors from the American tanker Pan Pennsylvania that was the first and only ship sunk by U-550. 25 were lost with Pan Pennsylvania.

Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escort USS Menges, victim of a German Acoustic Homing Torpedo, May, 1944

May 3, 1944, Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escort, USS Menges is torpedoed off the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, by U-371 using a GNAT but survived. 31 were killed and 25 wounded. A 95′-long section of the stern portion of Navy manned sister ship USS Holder‘s hull was used to repair USS Menges

USS Pride (DE-323), Coast Guard manned destroyer escort

May 4, 1944 U-371 is sunk by Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escorts USS Pride and USS Joseph E. Campbell, the French destroyer escort Sénégalais and the British escort destroyer HMS Blankney sank U-371 (3 dead and 49 survivors) in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Bougie but not before U-371 also put a torpedo (GNAT)  into the Free French Destroyer Escort Sénégalais (built as USS Corbesier (DE-106) damaging her as well. U-371 had made 19 war patrols and sank or damaged 19 ships.

USS Lowe (DE-325) in its later guise as USCGC Lowe (WDE-425)

March 18, 1945, Coast Guard manned Destroyer Escorts Menges, Pride, Mosley, and Lowe sank U-866 South East of Halifax, 55 dead (all hands lost). U-866 spent a total of 50 days at sea and had not damaged any allied shipping.

On 18 Mar 1945, U-866 was sunk by the only hunter-killer group in the North Atlantic manned completely by US Coast Guard personnel, consisting of four destroyer escorts, USS Pride (DE 323), USS Mosley (DE 321), USS Lowe (DE 325) and USS Menges (DE 320).

USS Moberly (PF-63) Off San Francisco, CA in early 1946.
Naval Historical Center photo NH 79077

May 7, 1945, USS Atherton (DE-169) and Coast Guard manned Frigate USS Moberly (PF-63) sank U-853 in the North Atlantic south-east of New London. 55 were lost with U-853. The U-boat had sunk two ships, totaling 5,783 tons. 61 died on the two ships sunk by U-853.

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Overall the Germans lost 768 U-boats (reported losses vary). Some were lost to accidents or mine, but in general about 200 were lost to US aircraft, about 200 to allied aircraft, and about 200 to allied surface vessels. US surface vessels sank 38 (last I heard). US surface ships also, of course, sank a large number of Japanese and some Italian submarines.

In terms of human lives, 28,000 German U-boat crew of the total 40,900 men recruited into the service lost their lives and 5,000 were taken prisoners of war. Some 30,000 men of the allied merchant service died, in addition to an unknown number of Allied naval personnel.

You may have heard that a Coast Guard aircraft had sunk a U-boat. This was U-166, previously credited to a J4F-1 Grumman Goose (USCG V-212/Y). When the wreck was found, it was determined that it had been destroyed by depth charges from the US patrol craft USS PC-566. 52 dead (all hands lost).

—

In this short retelling of selected engagements, I cannot help but notice five escort vessels fell victim to German Navy Acoustic Torpedoes (GNATs). Two sank, one total constructive loss. and two badly damaged, but repaired.

•  11 Dec 1943, frigate HMS Cuckmere (K 299) badly damaged by a Gnat from U-223. Towed to Algiers, but declared a total loss.
• 9 Mar. 1944,  USS Leopold (DE-319) sunk by GNAT launched by U-255
• 29 March 1944, destroyer HMS Laforey (G 99), sunk by GNAT from U-223
• 3 May 1944, USS Menges (DE-320) damaged by U-371 using a GNAT but survived.
• 4 May 1944, Free French destroyer escort Sénégalais damaged by GNAT from U-371.

Kenneth J. Braithwaite, U.S. ambassador to Norway and the nominee to become the next Navy secretary, in 2018. During his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on May 7, Braithwaite spoke of the importance of the U.S. foothold in the Arctic to counter “Great Power Competitors” China and Russia. U.S Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Theron J. Godbold

The Navy League on-line magazine is reporting that the current nominee for Secretary of the Navy, a former Navy P-3 patrol plane commander, is saying that he will be a strong advocate for a Navy presence in the Arctic.

Braithwaite also told Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) that he would be a strong advocate for a strategic Arctic port large enough to handle destroyers and icebreakers. The nearest such port is Anchorage, Alaska, which is 1,500 miles from the Arctic Circle, Sullivan added.

“The great news is the United States Navy has been up there for many, many years,” Braithwaite said. “You may not see them, but they’re up there. As it begins to become more navigable on the surface, we also need to make sure that our presence is noted.”

“We continue to need to be vigilant,” he added. “We continue to need to be present. That requires an adequate-size Navy to be there.”

“It will be a priority of mine.”

We talked about Arctic port development earlier:

• New Base at Port Clarence?, Dec. 2018
• “The United States Needs a Deep-water Arctic Port” –USNI, Sept. 2019
• “Coast Guard Focused On Being Sea-Based In Arctic As Merits Of Deep-Water Port Debated” –USNI, Oct. 2019

Coast Guard Compass is “the official blog of the U. S. Coast Guard,” but the Compass is broken. While it appears to welcome comments, in fact they do not seem to work. Over the past three weeks I have attempted to comment three times on two different stories, but they never showed up. All the stories currently visible on the blog end with the notation, “no comments.”

A typical day on the Imperial Star Destroyer Kimball. (stolen from Kimball’s Facebook page)

Yummm…waffles!

“This isn’t my laundry?!”

Touch and Goes

HIFR (Hot In Flight Refuel)

All hands qualified at the range, except for TK-0756 (…again)

TK-0756 on Messcook duty

“What is the password to unlock the Detention Block!?”

Main Control

“Conn, Lookout. Rebel X-wing fighters inbound!”

“Contact bears 115 degrees relative, position angle 2”

General Quarters!

The six new Cape-class patrol boats will extend the fleet of ten ships currently operated by the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy around Australia (Image: ADV Cape Inscription operating with the RAN)

NavyRecognition reports,

Austal Limited is pleased to announce that Austal Australia has been awarded an A$324 million contract to design and construct six evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (CCPBs) for the Royal Australian Navy.

These “Cape Class” patrol vessels are a bit unusual in size, slotting between typical “inshore” and “offshore” patrol vessels. We talked about this class when Trinidad and Tobago ordered two of them.

This is the information we had on the class earlier, compared to the Webber class.

• Displacement about twice as large: 700 tons vice 353
• Length: 57.8 m (190 ft) vice 46.8 m (154 ft)
• Beam: 10.3 m (34 ft) vice 8.11 m (26.6 ft)
• Draft: 3 m (9.8 ft) vice 2.9 m (9.5 ft)
• HP, less: 6,772 vice 11,600
• Speed, slower: 25 vice 28
• Crew, smaller: 18 vice 24
• Boats: two on davits vice one in stern ramp
• Range: greater, 4000 vice 2500 nautical miles
• Endurance: greater, 28 vice 5 days

These new ships will have some upgrades including accommodation for 32.

I was a little surprised by this procurement. Not too long ago, Australian Navy’s patrol force consisted of only thirteen 300 ton Armidale class patrol boats. These are being replaced by twelve 80 meter OPVs. None of these larger vessels have been completed so far. In the interim they leased two of these Cape Class. Now they are getting six more, improved versions. Presumably they will retain these even after the larger OPVs are completed, giving them 20 vessels.

Naval News reports that the Korea Coast Guard will be receiving two new cutters. These are reported to displace 4,200 tons full load, meaning they are slightly smaller, but considerably longer than the 418 foot 4500 ton National Security Cutters and 360 foot Offshore Patrol Cutters of similar displacement.

There is no indication of the speed of the new cutters, but the earlier similar sized cutters, hull numbers 3009, 3010, and 3011 were reportedly capable of 28 knots. Armament seems be being standardized at a twin 40mm mount and 20mm Sea Vulcan Gatling Guns, both locally produced.

The Korean Coast Guard currently has 36 cutters of more than 1500 tons full load, including two of 6,500 tons full load, only one of the 36 is over 26 years old. Their Exclusive Economic Zone is less than 2.7% that of the US, but it is complicated by the proximity of North Korea, China, Russia, and Japan.

Naval News is reporting that Israeli Defense Contractor Elbit has integrated the Canadian company Geospectrum’s Unmanned Surface Vessel version of their “Towed Reelable Active Passive Sonar” (TRAPS) with Elbit’s Seagull USV.

The Seagull is only 12 meters in length.

We have talked about TRAPS several times before, here, here, and here, but the video above is the clearest representation of how I works I have see so far. You can see the active element coming off the reel at time 23 to 25 seconds on this very short video.

It this works anything like it is claimed to (and the Canadian Navy has tested it), this could be a relatively easy route to reintroducing an ASW capability into the Coast Guard. It could also help detect low profile semi-submersible drug runners.

It might even find a home on the WPB replacement.