Patrol boat


A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. However, large size patrol vessels are also operated by multiple navies and coastguards. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they generally range in size. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, police, or customs, and may be intended for marine, estuarine, or river environments.
Per their name, patrol boats are primarily used to patrol a country's exclusive economic zone, but they may also be used in other roles, such as anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, fishery patrols, immigration law enforcement, or search and rescue. Depending on the size, organization, and capabilities of a nation's armed forces, the importance of patrol boats may range from minor support vessels that are part of a coast guard, to flagships that make up a majority of a navy's fleet. Their small size and relatively low cost make them one of the most common naval vessels in the world.
Patrol boats are of varying types, including: offshore patrol vessels, patrol boat fast, patrol boat with surface-to-surface missile, patrol boat inshore, patrol boat with SAM, patrol boat riverine, patrol boat with torpedo.

Classification

The classification of a patrol boat is often subjective, but they are generally small naval vessels that are used to patrol national waters or a certain jurisdiction. They may be as large as a corvette or even a frigate, though the term may also be used for vessels as small as a yacht or rigid inflatable boat. They can include gunboat, fast attack craft, torpedo boats, and missile boats. They may be broadly classified as inshore patrol vessels or offshore patrol vessels. OPVs and medium size cutters are usually the smallest ship in a navy's fleet that are large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore in the open ocean, while IPVs are typically too small to do so and are instead kept in lakes or rivers, or close to coasts; IPVs specifically used in rivers can also be called "riverine patrol vessels". Large patrol vessels, offshore patrol vessels and Large cutters are the largest type of patrol ships and are typically more than 100 m in length. Some OPVs may possess significant armament and may approach corvettes in terms of armed capability.
Seagoing patrol boats are typically around 30 m 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, while others include the sophisticated close-in weapon system. Depending on their role, vessels in this class may also have more sophisticated sensors and fire control systems that would enable them to carry torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and surface-to-air missiles.

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 obsolete naval weapons. Some modern patrol vessels are still based on fishing and leisure boats.
The United States Navy operated the of armed hydrofoils for years in a patrol boat role. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy ordered 193 aluminum hulled Patrol Craft, Fast, also known as Swiftboats, for brown water naval operations. The Patrol Boat, River was a fiberglass hulled vessel also designed and used for inland river operations during the Vietnam War, and became an icon of water operations during the war due to its use in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.
Most modern designs are powered by gas turbine arrangements such as CODAG, and speeds are generally in the range. 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 a navy, though some smaller navies are mostly composed of just patrol boats.

Specific nations

Algeria

[Algerian National Navy]

Argentina

[Argentine Naval Prefecture]

[Argentine Navy]

Australia

[Royal Australian Navy]

*

Australian Border Force Marine Unit">Marine Unit (Australian Border Force)">Australian Border Force Marine Unit

  • ACV Triton
  • – replaced all but two of the Bay-class which underwent a life extension. Two Evolved Cape-class patrol boats ordered to replace the remaining two Bay-class patrol boats.

Others

  • – Australian-built, gifted by the Australian Government to 12 Pacific Island countries
  • – Australian-built replacements for the Pacific class, gifted to the same 12 Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste

Bahamas

[Royal Bahamas Defence Force]

*

Bahrain

[Royal Bahrain Naval Force]

35m Fast Patrol Vessels- USA -built by Swiftships, Commissioned in 2021

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Navy classified its medium size patrol ships as large patrol craft which are armed with either anti-ship missiles or torpedoes. Those ships typically have heavier armaments but less range than OPVs.

[Bangladesh Navy]

;Large patrol craft
;Offshore patrol vessel
  • ARES 150
;Inshore patrol vessel
;ASW patrol boat
;Patrol gunboat
*

[Bangladesh Coast Guard]

;Offshore patrol vessel
;Inshore patrol vessel
;Fast patrol vessel
;Coastal patrol vessel
;Riverine patrol craft
*

Border Guard Bangladesh">Border Guards Bangladesh">Border Guard Bangladesh

;Patrol vessel

[Barbados]

[Barbados Coast Guard]

*

Belgium

  • Castor
  • ''Pollux''

Brazil

  • Grajaú-class offshore patrol vessel
  • Bracuí-class patrol vessel – ex-
  • Brazilian [corvette Caboclo (V19)|Imperial Marinheiro-class] offshore patrol vessel
  • Piratini-class patrol vessel
  • J-class patrol vessel
  • Roraima-class river patrol vessel
  • Pedro Teixeira-class river patrol vessel
  • offshore patrol vessel
*

Brunei

  • offshore patrol vessel
  • patrol vessel
  • KH 27-class patrol boat
  • FDB 512-class patrol boat
  • Bendaharu-class patrol vessel
  • Perwira-class patrol vessel
  • Saleha-class patrol vessel
  • Pahlawan-class patrol vessel

Bulgaria

Canada

[Royal Canadian Navy]

  • – Icebreakers based on the Norwegian

[Canadian Coast Guard]

*

Cape Verde

Cape Verdean Coast Guard">Cape Verdean Armed Forces#Coast Guard">Cape Verdean Coast Guard

Chile

[Chilean Navy]

*

China (PRC)

[People's Liberation Army Navy]

  • Harbour security boat – four newly built 80-ton class harbour security / patrol boats, and more are planned in order to take over the port security / patrol duties currently performed by the obsolete Shantou, Beihai, Huangpu, and Yulin-class gunboats, which are increasingly being converted to inshore surveying boats and range support boats
  • Shanghai III (Type 062I)-class gunboat – 2
  • Shanghai II-class gunboat
  • Shanghai I -class gunboat – 150+ active and at least 100 in reserve
  • Huludao (Type 206)-class gunboat – 8+
  • – less than 25
  • – less than 30
  • – less than 15
  • – less than 40

[China Coast Guard]

*

Colombia

[Colombian Navy]

  • Diligente-class patrol boat
  • Nodriza-class patrol boat
  • PAF-I-class patrol boat
  • PAF-II-class patrol boat
  • PAF-III-class patrol boat
  • PAF-IV-class patrol boat
  • Patrullera Fluvial Ligera-class patrol boat
  • Riohacha-class gunboat
  • Fassmer-80 class – built in Colombia by COTECMAR

Croatia

Denmark

[Royal Danish Navy]

  • OPV – 3 vessels
  • IPV – 6 vessels
  • patrol vessel
  • OPV – 4 ships
  • IPV – 3 vessels
  • IPV – 9 vessels
  • Hvidbjørnen-class OPV – 4 ships

Ecuador

[Ecuadorian Navy]

Egypt

[Egyptian Navy]

  • 35m Fast Patrol Vessels- USA -built by Swiftships

Eritrea

[Eritrean Navy]

Others

Finland

[Finnish Navy]

*

[Finnish Border Guard]

France

[French Navy]

[Maritime Gendarmerie]

  • Trident-class patrol boat
  • Géranium-class patrol boat
  • Jonquille-class patrol boat
  • Vedette-class patrol boat
  • Pétulante-class patrol craft
  • Pavois-class patrol craft

Germany

Greece

[Hellenic Navy]

  • s and derivatives and
  • s
  • Nasty-class coastal patrol vessels – formerly torpedo boats
  • Esterel-class coastal patrol vessels

[Hellenic Coast Guard]

Honduras

[Honduran Navy]

Hong Kong (SARPRC)

[Hong Kong Police Force]

Iceland

[Icelandic Coast Guard]

*

India

[Indian Navy]

*

[Indian Coast Guard]

*

Indonesia

Iran

Islamic [Republic of Iran Navy]:

Ireland

List of Irish Naval Service vessels;
  • Offshore Patrol Vessels
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Helicopter Patrol Vessel
  • *
  • Coastal Patrol Vessels
  • *
  • *
  • Offshore Patrol Vessels
  • *
  • *
  • Offshore Patrol Vessels
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

[JDF Coast Guard]

*

Japan

  • , the 2nd largest patrol boat
  • , large patrol vessel with helicopter deck and hangar
  • , large patrol vessel with helicopter deck and hangar
  • , high-speed large patrol vessel with helicopter deck
  • , high-speed large patrol vessel
  • , medium-sized patrol vessel
  • , corvette type patrol vessel
  • ,, icebreaker
*

Latvia

Malaysia

  • Kedah class offshore patrol vessel,
  • Keris-class littoral mission ship,
  • Gagah Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Ramunia Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Nusa Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Sipadan Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Rhu Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Pengawal Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Peninjau Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Pelindung Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Semilang Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Penggalang Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Penyelamat Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Pengaman Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Kilat Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Malawali Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Langkawi Class Patrol Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
  • Tun Fatimah Class Ship, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency

Malta

  • Protector class offshore patrol vessel – 2002–present
  • Diciotti class offshore patrol vessel – 2005–present
  • P21 class inshore patrol vessel – 2010–present
  • Emer class offshore patrol vessel – 2015–present

Mexico

[Mexican Navy]

  • Coastal patrol boat
  • *
  • *
  • Offshore patrol vessel
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

Montenegro

Morocco

  • OPV-70 class, offshore patrol vessel
  • OPV-64 class, offshore patrol vessel

Namibia

Netherlands

[Royal Netherlands Navy]

[Netherlands Coastguard]

  • Visarend
  • Zeearend
  • Barend Biesheuvel

[Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard]

New Zealand

[Royal New Zealand Navy]

*

Nicaragua

[Nicaraguan Navy]

*

Norway

[Royal Norwegian Navy]

[Norwegian Coast Guard]

Peru

Philippines

[Philippine Navy]

[Philippine Coast Guard]

Poland

[Polish Navy]

Portugal

[Portuguese Navy]

Maritime Police">Maritime Authority System">Maritime Police

  • Bolina-class
  • Levante-class
  • Tufão-class
  • Calmaria-class

National Republican Guard">National Republican Guard (Portugal)">National Republican Guard

  • Bojador-class
  • Ribamar-class
  • Zodíaco-class
  • Mar Creta-class

Qatar

Qatari Emiri Navy

Qatari Ministry of Interior

  • ARES 75
  • ARES 110
  • ARES 150

Romania

Russia

Senegal

  • Fouladou, Senegalese Navy
  • Kedougou, Senegalese Navy
  • Ferlo, Senegalese Navy
  • Conejera, Senegalese Navy
  • Fouta, Senegalese Navy
  • Njambuur, Senegalese Navy

Singapore

Slovenia

South Africa

South Korea (ROK)

Spain

Sri Lanka

Suriname

Sweden

Additionally, the Royal Swedish Navy also operates smaller types of patrol boats :
The Swedish Coast Guard operate an additional 22 patrol vessels for maritime surveillance.

Taiwan (Republic of China)">Taiwan">Taiwan (Republic of China)

[Republic of China Navy]

Coast Guard Administration">Coast Guard Administration (Taiwan)">Coast Guard Administration

Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard">Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force#Coast Guard">Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard

Turkey

[Turkish Naval Forces]

Coast Guard Command">Coast Guard Command (Turkey)">Coast Guard Command

  • KAAN 15 class
  • KAAN 19 class
  • KAAN 29 class
  • KAAN 33 class
  • SAR 33 class
  • SAR 35 class
  • 80 class
  • Corvette

United Kingdom

United States

United States Navy

United States Coast Guard

Venezuela

*

Vietnam