COAST GUARD CUTTERS
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MEDIUM-ENDURANCE CUTTERS (WMEC)
BRIEFING: The 13 270-foot Famous-class and 14 210-foot
Reliance-class cutters form the two primary classes of WMECs.
One unique WMEC, Alex Haley, is in service in Alaska. Like the
WHECs, they support a variety of missions.
The Famous-class cutters, which began entering service
in 1983, are equipped with a shipboard command-and-control
system that permits maximum operational effectiveness with
reduced crews. They are fitted with a modern weapons and sensor suite and can support and hangar one H- 65 helicopter. These
ships also can land H- 60 helicopters. The Reliance-class cutters
do not have hangars, but each can support one H- 65 helicopter.
Famous Class
DISPLACEMENT: . . . . . . . . . 1,820 tons full load
LENGTH: ................270feet
BEAM:................... 38 feet
SPEED: .................. 19. 5 knots
POWER PLAN T: . . . . . . . . . . 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 7,300 bhp
RANGE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,900 nautical miles at 12 knots
ARMAMEN T:. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mk75 76mm gun, 2 .50-caliber machine guns,
2 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures
launchers
AIRCRAF T:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 MH- 65 or MH- 60 helicopter
COMPLEMEN T: . . . . . . . . . . 100
BUILDERS:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WMECs 901-904, Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.; 905-913,
R.E. Derecktor Shipyards
Homeport
WMEC 901 Bear ........................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 902 Tampa ......................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 903 Harriet Lane.................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 904 Northland ...................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 905 Spencer .......................................... Boston, Mass.
WMEC 906 Seneca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston, Mass.
WMEC 907 Escanaba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston, Mass.
WMEC 908 Tahoma .......................................Portsmouth, N.H.
WMEC909Campbell .....................................Portsmouth, N.H.
WMEC 910 Thetis............................................Key West, Fla.
WMEC911Forward ....................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 912 Legare ......................................... Portsmouth, Va.
WMEC 913 Mohawk .........................................Key West, Fla.
Reliance Class
DISPLACEMENT: . . . . . . . . . 1, 100 tons full load
LENGTH: ................210.5 feet
BEAM:................... 34 feet
SPEED: .................. 18 knots
POWER PLANT: . . . . . . . . . . 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 5,000 bhp
RANGE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 100 nautical miles at 12 knots
ARMAMENT: . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mk38 25mm machine gun, 2 .50-caliber machine
guns
AIRCRAFT:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 MH- 65 helicopter
COMPLEMENT: . . . . . . . . . . 77
BUILDERS:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WMECs 615-17, Todd Shipyards; 618, Christy Corp.;
621-627, American Shipbuilding; 619, 620, 628, 629,
630, Coast Guard Yard, Baltimore
Homeport
WMEC 615 Reliance.......................................Portsmouth, N.H.
WMEC 616 Diligence ...................................... Wilmington, N.C.
WMEC 617 Vigilant .................................... Cape Canaveral, Fla.
WMEC618Active ..................................... Port Angeles, Wash.
WMEC 619 Confidence ................................. Cape Canaveral, Fla.
WMEC 620 Resolute .....................................St. Petersburg, Fla.
WMEC 621 Valiant ............................................Mayport, Fla.
WMEC 623 Steadfast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warrenton, Ore.
WMEC 624 Dauntless ......................................Galveston, Texas
WMEC 625 Venturous ....................................St. Petersburg, Fla.
WMEC626Dependable.................................... Little Creek, Va.
WMEC627Vigorous....................................... Little Creek, Va.
WMEC629 Decisive ...................................... Pascagoula, Miss.
WMEC630Alert .......................................... Warrenton, Ore.
Alex Haley
DISPLACEMENT: . . . . . . . . . 3,000 tons full load
LENGTH: ................282feet
BEAM:................... 50 feet
SPEED: .................. 16 knots
POWER PLANT: . . . . . . . . . . 4 Caterpillar diesels, 2 shafts/controllable pitch
propellers, bow thruster
RANGE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000 nautical miles at 13 knots
ARMAMENT:. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mk38 25mm machine guns, 2 .50-caliber machine
guns
AIRCRAFT:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 MH- 65 or MH- 60 helicopter
COMPLEMENT: . . . . . . . . . . 99
CONVERSION: . . . . . . . . . . . Coast Guard Yard, Baltimore
Homeport
WMEC39Alex Haley ........................................Kodiak, Alaska
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LEGARE FAMOUS CLASS
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DAUNTLESS RELIANCE CLASS WITH MH- 65 DOLPHIN
