Propulsion: A and B series feature 2x Paxman Valenta 16RP 200M diesel engines, while C series is equipped with 2x Caterpillar 3516 DITA diesels.
Speed: 29 kts
Range: 3,900 miles
Armament: Mk-38 25mm bushmaster cannon, 2x M2 .50 caliber machine ɡᴜпѕ
Crew: Two officers, 14 enlisted
The 110-foot Island-class Patrol Boats are a Coast ɡᴜагd modification of a highly successful British-designed patrol boat. With excellent range and seakeeping capabilities, the Island Class, all named after U.S. islands, replaced the older 95-foot Cape-class patrol boats. These cutters are equipped with advanced electronics and navigation equipment.
In 1984 the Coast ɡᴜагd initiated a program to replace aging 82′ Point-class and 95′ Cape-class patrol boats currently in service. The original contract for 16 patrol boats was awarded to the Marine рoweг and Equipment Company of Seattle, WA. but was later voided by a US. District Court because of procurement irregularities. Subsequently, the contract was awarded to the Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La., in August, 1984.
To speed production and ensure the Coast ɡᴜагd received a boat of proven design, the design chosen was a modified version of a British boat built by Vosper Thornycroft, U.K., that had been in service with Venezuela, Qatar, Singapore and the UAE for more than 20 years.
The first of the class, Farallon (WPB-1301) was commissioned in February of 1986 and was assigned patrol duties in Miami, Fla. In 1986 the Navy purchased an additional 16 Island-class patrol boats for the Coast ɡᴜагd under a DoD Augmentation Appropriation, while 5 more were purchased by the Coast ɡᴜагd with 1986 Anti-drug аЬᴜѕe Act funds. Including a final order for twelve additional boats, there would ultimately be a total of 49 Island-class patrol boats in service.
As offshore patrol boats, the Island-class boats are expected to perform surveillance, law enforcement, and drug interdiction operations as well as search and гeѕсᴜe work. They have a 5-day endurance and a three-ton payload capacity.
Of the original 49 boats in the Island-class, 41 are still in service with 8 having been upgraded to the 123′ Island-class standard as part of the Coast ɡᴜагd’s $17 billion Deepwater project.
