US Approves Transfer of Hamilton Class Large Patrol Ship to Vietnam

20 April 2017

USCGC Morgenthau WHEC 722 (photo : SBGrad)

US Coast Guard ship USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC 722) has withdrawn from service and will be transferred to Vietnam.

The information was published by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in its April 13, 2017 report, posted on its official website.

Specifically, the USCGC Morgenthau Coast Guard (WHEC 722) has just been withdrawn from the US Coast Guard, which will be transferred to Vietnam under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.

Vietnam has proposed to buy three US patrol boats, however the figure passed is only one, which was approved on October 3, 2016.

The Hamilton-based USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC 722) patrol boat was built at the Avondale Plant, which was officially established on March 10, 1969, and has just retired on April 18,

The ship has a full load stretch of 3,250 tons; Length 115 m; Width 13 m; Draft of 4.6 m; 160 crew members (20 officers, 140 crew members); USCGC Morgenthau's home port in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The WHEC 722 is equipped with a combination of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines for a top speed of 29 knots (53.7 km / h), a range of 14,000 nautical miles (22,531 Km), 45 days continuous seeding time.

Weapon equipment of the WHEC 722 includes the AN / SPS-40 airborne surveillance radar, the 76.2 mm Oto Breda main gun, the 20 mm Phalanx CIWS close-in defense system, the 25 mm Bushmaster M242 automatic gun and 12.7 mm M2 Browning heavy machine gun and a 7.62 mm M240 light hun.

Based on the precedents of the Hamilton ships shipped to the US Navy by the United States, the equipment may be removed prior to transfer.

However, if everything goes well, USCGC Morgenthau will still be very useful to Vietnam as it is a large vessel with wide range of activities and long seas, This is important for our ability to enforce maritime law.

(Soha)