U.S. Coast Guard Gyre class Coastal Patrol Boat (Cutter):


Developed in the early part of the new cold war, the Gyre class patrol boat was built in relatively large numbers, initially replacing the old Island class patrol boats and supplementing the Marine Protector class boats. As time went on, the Gyre class also largely replaced the Marine Protector class as well. Just over one hundred Gyre class patrol boats were built in total. As the Gyre class was built with modern high tech alloys and composites, they were far more resilient than the previous classes.


While the U.S. Coast Guard introduced the Pursuit class cutter, they never completely replaced the Gyre class in service although the plan appears to have been to eventually retire the Gyre class. Over the years, a number of Gyre class patrol boats were sold off however although it is believed that around eighty were still in service with the United States Coast Guard on the eve of Great Cataclysm. In addition, a large number of these boats operated from isolated stations.


When the Great Cataclysm occurred, isolated areas were the most likely to have survived than the areas around major cities. Among the places most likely to survive were the stations where Gyre class patrol boats operated from. Even though fuel cell designs, these Coast Guard vessel were still valuable military hardware in a world where most of the world’s militaries had been devastated.


Even though all Coast Guard vessels over sixty-five feet were considered Cutters, the Gyre class were designed for more limited rolls than larger vessels. These included search and rescue, interdiction, maritime safety, marine fishery enforcement, and security roles. Their endurance was also relatively short with a range of around twelve hundred nautical miles and carried supplies for about five days. Top speed was considered to be around twenty-eight knots, only slightly greater than the previous Marine Protector class.


Since the coming of the Rifts many of these boats have been converted to alternate propulsion systems with some having their original fuel cell systems converted over to fusion with small vehicle reactors replacing the original engines. Other options include converting the vessels over to techno-wizard electrical propulsion. In any case, these vessels often end up deploying for far longer than the original designers ever envisioned.


Compared to the Marine Protector class, the Gyre class was far heavier armed. While the older patrol boat carried a pair of .50 caliber machine guns, the Gyre mounts a pair of 25 mm Bushmaster chain cannons in modified lightweight versions of the Mark 38 gun mount. These are mounted to either side of the bow of the vessel. In addition, an automatic grenade launcher can be mounted.


Still, the firepower of these vessels is considered relatively light compared to most designs developed after the coming of the Great Cataclysm. As a result, various upgrades have been done to many of the surviving vessels including the addition of mini-missile launchers. In some cases the original Bushmaster guns have been replaced by rail guns as well.


The electronic suite is comparatively primitive in relation to most larger vessels. Radar is limited to a relatively short surface search radar system. It also lacked any advanced electronic warfare equipment. Finally the sonar is limited to an extremely short range system and the vessel is not designed to engage submarines in addition to air targets.


These ships are designed to be able to be operated by a crew of ten although has berthing for an additional four crew. In some cases a small boarding party might be carried in addition to the regular crew. The boat normally carried enough body armors and weapons for the entire crew because it was often expected to perform boardings of other vessels. Because these vessels were not considered front line, the equipment tended to be on the older side however. It was not expected that any marines would be embarked onboard. A single rigid hull inflatable boat could be launched from a stern ramp.


Author Note: With respect to time line, these designs may or may not reflect our modern time line. The time line of these writeups diverged from our time line starting around 1999. Consider the universe that these designs are created for to be an alternate universe not bound by ours.


Model Type: WPB-96454 class Coastal Patrol Boat.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Coastal Patrol Boat.

Crew: 10; 1 officers, 1 chief petty officers, and 8 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation).

Troops / Passengers: Possible 4.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

None.


M.D.C. by Location:

 

Bridge / Superstructure:

120.

 

[1] Spotlights (4):

12 each.

 

[2] SPS-73 Short Range Radar Array:

45.

 

Mark 38 Mod 5 Lightweight Bushmaster 25 mm Gun Systems (2):

50 each.

 

Mark 242 Bushmaster 25 mm Chain Guns (2, gun mounts):

25 each.

 

Optional: AGL-40 Automatic Grenade Launcher:

50.

 

[3] Main Body:

320.

Notes:

[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a “called shot,” but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.

[2] If the radar system is destroyed, the vessel has to rely on shorter ranged sensors and/or visual navigation.

[3] Destroying the main body causes the vessel to lose structural integrity, causing the vessel to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the vessel.


Speed:

Surface: 32.2 mph (28 knots/ 51.9 kph) in light to moderate seas.

Range: 1,380.9 miles (1,200 nautical miles / 2,222 km). Patrol Boat carries five days of supplies on board. This can be increased to eight days in an emergency and additional supplies can be carried.


Statistical Data:

Draft:    6.2 feet (1.89 meters) not including retractable mini-sonar.

Length:  96 feet (29.26 meters).

Width:   21.2 feet (6.46 meters).

Displacement: 94 tons standard and 116 tons fully loaded.

Cargo: Can carry 6 tons (5.44 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Vessel’s officers have more space for personal items although still extremely limited. Most of the vessel’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Fuel Cell System.

Market Cost: Not for sale but if found on the black market would probably cost around 10 to 15 million credits.


Weapon Systems:

Many operators of these boats after the coming of the Rifts add additional weapon systems including missile launchers and replacing 25 mm Chain Guns with rail guns.

  1. Two (2) Mark 38 Mod 5 Lightweight Bushmaster 25 mm Gun Systems: These weapons are mounted with one on either side of the bow of the vessel for defense against small boats and similar threats. Each has a Mark 242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun along with short range targeting systems. Weapon system was carried on a large number of military vehicles prior to the coming of the Rifts. Can be controlled on the mount or via remote control.

    Maximum Effective Range: 5,000 feet (1,524 meters).

    Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 for a burst of 20 round, 3D4 for each round.

    Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunner’s hand to hand attacks; each burst counts as one melee action / attack.

    Payload: 400 rounds (20 bursts) each mount. The vessel has an additional 800 rounds in magazines. Reloading is done inside the ship and takes two melee rounds (30 seconds) for two crewmen or passengers and six melees (90 seconds) if only one person is involved or the people are not trained in the reload procedure.

  2. One (1) AGL-40 Automatic Grenade Launcher (Optional): When carried, it is mounted behind the superstructure but was not usually carried in Coast Guard service. United States military weapon which is similar to have a post Rifts WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher mounted on a pintle type mounting with a gun shield however it fires a slightly smaller round although considered just as effective.

    Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914 meters)

    Mega-Damage: 4D6 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 feet (3.6 meters) and 1D4x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 feet (0.9 meter), burst of 10 rounds inflicts 2D6x10 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 feet (12 meters) and 3D6x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 feet (2.4 meters.)

    Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4-6).

    Payload: 800 Rounds.

Special Systems:

The vessel has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2019, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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