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HMCS WHITEHORSE

Kingston class patrol boat of the Royal Canadian Navy

Patrol Boat Iliria

The Iliria, an example of a modern Patrol boat of the Albanian Naval Force

Pce-872c

PCE-872, a World War II patrol craft escort of the US Navy

A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties. There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine (blue water) and/or estuarine or river ("brown water") environments. They are commonly found engaged in various border protection roles, including anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, fisheries patrols, and immigration law enforcement. They are also often called upon to participate in rescue operations. Vessels of this type include the original yacht (from Dutch/Low German jacht meaning hunting or hunt), a light, fast-sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into shallow waters.

Classification[]

They may be broadly classified as inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). They are warships typically smaller in size than a corvette and can include fast attack craft, torpedo boats and missile boats, although some are as large as a frigate. The offshore patrol vessels are usually the smallest ship in a navy's fleet that are large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore in the open ocean. In larger militaries, such as in the United States military, offshore patrol vessels usually serve in the coast guard, but many smaller nations navies operate these type of ships.

History[]

During both World Wars in order to rapidly build up numbers, all sides created auxiliary patrol boats by arming motorboats and seagoing fishing trawlers with machine guns and obsolescent naval weapons. Some modern patrol vessels are still based on fishing and leisure boats. Seagoing patrol boats are typically around 30 m (100 ft) in length and usually carry a single medium caliber artillery gun as main armament, and a variety of lighter secondary armament such as machine guns or a close-in weapon system. Depending on role, vessels in this class may also have more sophisticated sensors and fire control systems that would enable them to carry torpedoes, anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.

Most modern designs are powered by gas turbine arrangements such as Combined diesel and gas, and speeds are generally in the 25–30 knot range. They are primarily used for patrol in a country's Exclusive Economic Zone. Common tasks are fisheries inspection, anti-smuggling (usually anti-narcotics) duties, illegal immigration patrols, anti-piracy patrols and search and rescue (law enforcement-type of work). The largest OPVs might also have a flight deck and helicopter embarked. In times of crisis or war, these vessels are expected to support the larger vessels in the navy.

Their small size and relatively low cost make them one of the most common type of warship in the world. Almost all navies operate at least a few offshore patrol vessels, especially those with only "green water" capabilities. They are useful in smaller seas such as the North Sea as well as in open oceans. Similar vessels for exclusively military duties include torpedo boats and missile boats. The United States Navy operated the Pegasus class of armed hydrofoils for years, in a patrol boat role. The River Patrol Boat (PBR, sometimes called "Riverine" and "Pibber") is a U.S. design of small patrol boat type designed to patrol waters of large rivers.

Specific nations[]

Australia[]

HMAS Armidale Darling Harbour

HMAS Armidale of the Royal Australian Navy

Bahamas[]

Bangladesh[]

Brazil[]

Canada[]

Orca55gulfislands

PTC Orca, an Orca-class patrol boat of the Royal Canadian Navy

China[]

Chile[]

  • 02 ASMAR OPV, under license Fasmmer. 1,700 tons, 1 Bofors 40/70 6 cal 0.50, 1 Helicopter, Comandante Toro and Piloto Pardo.

Colombia[]

ARC Juan Ricardo Oyola Vera

ARC Juan Ricardo Oyola Vera PAV-IV class patrol boat of the Colombian Navy

Denmark[]

France[]

Finland[]

Germany[]

Greece[]

20080702-Faliron-HS Aittitos P-268

Hellenic Navy HSY-56A Gunboat HS Aittitos, P-268

Hellenic Navy[]

Hellenic Coast Guard[]

Hong Kong[]

Hong Kong Police Force[]

Iceland[]

India[]

IndianCoastGuard OPV30 Vishwast Kobe 20101129-001

Photograph of the Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel ICGS Vishwast (OPV-30) at the Shinko Pier No. 2, Port of Kobe, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

Indonesia[]

  • FPB 28, Indonesian Police and Indonesian Customs, 28 meter long patrol boat made by local shipyard PT.PAL
  • FPB 38, Indonesian Customs, 38 meter long aluminium patrol boat made by local shipyard PT.PAL
  • FPB 57, Indonesian Navy, 57 meter long patrol boat designed by Luerssen and made by PT.PAL, ASM and heli deck equipped for some version.
  • PC-40, Indonesian Navy, 40 meter long FRP/Aluminum patrol boat, locally made by in house Navy's workshop.
  • PC-60 trimaran, Indonesian Navy, 63 meter long composit material,is armed with 120 km range of anti ship missile,made by PT Lundin industry

Ireland[]

Irish patrol vessel

Irish Naval Service Large Patrol Vessel (LPV) LÉ Niamh

Israel[]

Cigala Fulgosi (P 490)

Italian Navy patrol boat Cigala Fulgosi

Italy[]

CP-902-Aug2008

Italian Coast Guard patrol boat U. Diciotti, CP-902

Japan[]

JapanCoastGuard Shikishima

Shikishima (Japan Coast Guard), the largest patrol boat in the world

Japan Coast Guard PL51 Hida 2

Japan Coast Guard "Hida" (PL51)

Malaysia[]

Malta[]

Mexico[]

A.R.M

ARM Oaxaca, an Oaxaca class OPV of the Mexican Navy

Marina Michoacán

Durango class ships, offshore patrol vessels of Mexican Navy

Netherlands[]

New Zealand[]

Norway[]

Royal Norwegian Navy

Kv Tor

NoCGV Tor (W334 KYSTVAKT) from Nornen Class of the Norwegian Coast Guard

Norwegian Coast Guard

Philippines[]

Philippine Navy

Portugal[]

Npop360

NRP Viana do Castelo, offshore patrol vessel of the Portuguese Navy

Portuguese Navy

Russia[]

Singapore[]

Slovenia[]

Sri Lanka[]

South Korea[]

Spain[]

Meteoro P41

Meteoro (P-41)

Suriname[]

  • Ocea Type FPB 98 class fast patrol boat
  • Ocea Type FPB 72 class fast patrol boat

Sweden[]

Thailand[]

Turkey[]

United Kingdom[]

Korvetten River-Klasse 7951

Two River class offshore patrol vessels of the Royal Navy

United States[]

United States Navy[]

United States Coast Guard[]

References[]

  1. "Brazil getting armored vehicles, boats." Space Media Network, 10 August 2012.
  2. "Gunboats Class Osprey 55". Hellenic Navy. 2008. http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/gunboats_osprey55%20_en.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
  3. "Gunboats Class Osprey HSY-55". Hellenic Navy. 2008. http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/gunboats_ospreyHSY55%20_en.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
  4. "Gunboats Class Asheville". Hellenic Navy. 2008. http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/gunboats_asheville%20_en.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
  5. E.A. Pagotsis (2009). G. Christogiannakis. ed. Hellenic Defence Report 2009-2010 (Yearbook of the magazine Hellenic Defence & Security). Athens: Line Defence Publications Ltd. pp. 81. 
  6. Irish Defence Forces website - Naval Service Fleet
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