Oldest Cutter Not Looking Too Bad at 61 Years Young

Oldest Cutter Not Looking Too Bad at 61 Years Young

Posted on March 18, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

The seniormost blue-water cutter, the USCGC Reliance (WMEC-615), has been in service almost continuously since she was commissioned on 20 June 1964, with the only break being regular yard periods and a 20-month Major Maintenance Availability from April 1987 to January 1989.

Constructed across a 22-month period for the sum of $4,920,804 by the Todd Houston Shipbuilding Corporation, the country has gotten its money’s worth out of Hull 615.

The lead ship of her class of 16 cutters, she originally carried a CODAG propulsion system and a 3″/50 gun forward as well as weight and space reserved for ASW weapons to serve as a patrol escort in the event of WWIII.

This black and white photo shows newly the commissioned Reliance (WMEC-615) with an HH-52 Sea Guard helicopter landing on its pad and davits down with one of its small boats deployed. Notice the lack of smokestack and paint scheme pre-dating the Racing Stripe or “U.S. Coast Guard” paint schemes. She has a 3″/50 forward as well as 20mm cannons for AAA work and weight and space for Mousttraps, a towed sonar, and Mk.32 ASW tubes, although they were never fitted. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

After her $16 million MMA in the late 80s, she lost her 3-incher, replaced with an early model manned MK38 25mm chain gun, while her engines were replaced with twin Alco diesels. Keep in mind that the MMA was supposed to just add 10-to-15 years to her lifespan, with a planned retirement along those lines in 2009-2015.

Post MMA

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) interdicts a low-profile vessel carrying more than $5 million in illicit narcotics in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Feb. 15, 2024. Patrolling in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Reliance crew stopped two drug trafficking ventures, detaining six suspected traffickers and preventing nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine and 5,400 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $57 million, from entering the United States. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Reliance)

She has earned at least four Coast Guard Unit Commendations, a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, multiple Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, and numerous USCG “E” ribbons. She has put out oilrig fires, saved at least four ships adrift on the sea, served on the Campeche Patrols for three years, picked up thousands of Haitian and Cuban migrants in the Florida Straits, bagged over 400 tons of MJ and $50M worth of cocaine, and just generally been a floating mensch.

Reliance just completed a 60-day patrol in the Florida Straits, Windward Passage, and Gulf of America, and managed to have a short video captured of her underway in the Gulf.

At some point in the coming years, she will be replaced by the future USCGC Reliance (WMSM-925), a Heritage-class 360-foot Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPCs), and will be the fifth vessel to bear the distinguished name going back to 1861.

Perhaps the old girl will be retained as a museum, with the new National USCG Museum in New London being a good candidate.

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Nuclear submarine ‘breaks Royal Navy’s longest patrol record’ – 204 days at sea

The Vanguard-class submarine reportedly spent 204 days under the waves.

By James Knuckey

18:59, Tue, Mar 18, 2025 | UPDATED: 18:59, Tue, Mar 18, 2025

HMS Vanguard spent 204 days at sea, according to reports (Image: Getty)

Submariners have returned from what is believed to be the longest deployment of a nuclear-armed submarine in Royal Navy history. A Vanguard-class boat reportedly returned to its Faslane base on Monday after 204 days under the waves, according to Navy Lookout.

The vessel, thought to be HMS Vanguard, has a crew of around 130 who wouldn’t have seen sunlight or fresh air for almost seven months during the mammoth deployment. The Royal Navy itself says life in the Submarine Service, also known as the Silent Service, “isn’t for the faint-hearted”. “You’ll be pushed to your limits, but you’ll be rewarded for it too,” the Navy says on its website.

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HMS Somerset and HMS Cattistock monitor another convoy of Russian ships passing through the English Channel

March 18, 2025 https://www.navylookout.com/hms-somerset-and-hms-cattistock-monitor-another-convoy-of-russian-ships-passing-through-the-english-channel/

Yesterday Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset and minehunter HMS Cattistock, together with an RAF aircraft, monitored a Russian convoy of two warships and two merchant vessels passing close to the UK.

On Sunday RFA Tideurge shadowed the Russian destroyer RFS Severomorsk heading west through the Channel. The destroyer later met up with a Russian convoy coming from the Mediterranean. On Monday the group passed eastward through the Dover Strait with HMS Somerset closing the Severomorsk and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft monitoring the group from above. HMS Cattistock also was involved in the operation, arriving in Harwich today.

This is probably the final ‘Syrian Express’ convoy, the group sailed from Tartus on 2nd March and is returning to Russia with evacuated military equipment. The group comprised the Udaloy-class destroyer, a Rapoucha-class landing ship, RFS Shabalin and the cargo ships MV Sparta IV and MV Siyane Severa. This is routine work for the Royal Navy and the transport convoys are unlikely to pose much of a threat.

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024 resulted in a temporary increase in the number of Russian ships in the Channel and North Sea, with each movement monitored by the RN in a combined effort with the French, Belgian and Netherlands navies. This is a reminder to the Russians that their military will not be allowed close to the UK without a strong response and will be closely watched.

RFA Tidesurge seen passing west through the English Channel monitoring the Russian destroyer on 16th March (Photo: Dover Strait Shipping – FotoFlite).

The Udaloy-class destroyer, RFS Severomorsk is another Russian antique that entered service in 1987.

HMS Cattistock and RFS Alexander Shabalin. Launched in 1979, HMS Cattistock is the older of the two ships.

HMS Somerset up close with the Severomorsk and Wildcat airborne. Photo taken from RAF P-8A Posiedon.

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