You operate alongside the Coast Guard WPBs.

For operational command, we all fall under CTF 55. But the cutters belong to Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA).

Even if you man me with 35 people my crew would be exhausted after five days of operations. That’s because everyone is involved in everything we do. If we launched the boat, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we have a man overboard, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we go to gun quarters, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we have a fire drill or fire, it’s an all hands evolution. There is zero break for these sailors.

Do they have the same mission as you?

Yes.

What is unique or special about the PCs? Its size is both a limitation and a strength.

Fuel and food are a limitation. I’m billeted to have a 29-man crew, including four officers. I have almost as many programs in warfare areas to manage as a CRUDES ship. Every single sailor I have is a single point of failure in something, sometimes more than one area. I get first-term sailors who don’t even know where Bahrain is on a map when they joined the Navy. They come out here, they learn from a firehose for about 12 months to a year and a half, and when I finally get them where I want them, it’s time for them to transfer. Manning is a big issue. Even if you man me with 35 people my crew would be exhausted after five days of operations. That’s because everyone is involved in everything we do. If we launched the boat, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we have a man overboard, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we go to gun quarters, it’s an all-hands evolution. If we have a fire drill or fire, it’s an all hands evolution. There is zero break for these sailors. They stand two watches underway – 8 hours of watch a day, and then they come back for 3-section of duty and stand eight watches every third day in port. And if I manage everything just right, I might be able to get everyone about two weeks of leave, but that’s not guaranteed, either.

How does she ride?

The weather can be a limitation. On a big ship a high sea state can be bad, but on a PC heavy seas can affect the whole crew.

I’m sure you’re aware of the history of Firebolt, protecting the oil platforms in the Northern Arabian Gulf in 2004, trying to keep vessels outside of the protective zone around the platforms when a ship exploded and killed three crewmembers – two sailors and a Coast Guardsman. That threat is always real in this region.

But your size is similar to what the other GCC navies operate, so it matches up well.

The other countries just like operating with us. Because to them, it’s still the U.S. – it doesn’t matter whether it’s a PC, a PB, a DDG. And we’ve got a beautiful silhouette coming over the horizon with the sun in the background. I mean, you say, “That’s a war ship.” They love having their photo taken with us.

 

Do you do a lot of VBSS?

We just finished an exercise where we were doing a AAs and AAVs. That’s similar to VBSS. So, yes.

We were out with Monsoon the other day, in the areas where we know there will be a lot of dhow traffic, and we did AAs and AAVs. Mostly we do compliant boardings. The Coast Guard is better-suited to do VBSS – they have the MSRT team and the capabilities, to do the non-compliant type of interdictions. I’m sure you’re aware of the history of Firebolt, protecting the oil platforms in the Northern Arabian Gulf in 2004, trying to keep vessels outside of the protective zone around the platforms when a ship exploded and killed three crewmembers – two sailors and a Coast Guardsman. That threat is always real in this region. These exercises are so important because they continue to remind us that these mission sets that we do are valuable and they keep us trained if something were to happen.

 

How many rudders and screws?

Four engines; four shafts; four screws; two rudders.