The US Coast Guard says it needs Special Purpose Craft - Heavy Weather (SPC-HWX) II because 47 ft motor lifeboats, like the one shown here operating in the US Northwest Pacific Ocean surf, are not capable enough. (US Coast Guard)
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is moving closer to reviving its fleet of Special Purpose Craft - Heavy Weather (SPC-HWX) II with the release on 19 December of a draft environmental assessment (EA)/Overseas Environmental Assessment (OEA) prepared for its proposal to acquire up to six second-generation SPC-HWX IIs, four in operation and training status and two as maintenance relief hulls, according to a 20 December USCG release.
Earlier in the month, the service had released a request for information (RFI).
The USCG intends to use the craft in the US Pacific Northwest (PNW) to operate from the shore out to 150 n miles, according to the SPC-HWX II Acquisition Environmental Assessment/OEA prepared by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center and released by USCG Headquarters.
“To meet mission requirements, the Coast Guard operated four 52 ft (16 m) first-generation Special Purpose Craft - Heavy Weather to serve in these challenging surf conditions,” the assessment said.
“The SPC-HWX augmented the capability of the Coast Guard's fleet of 47 ft (14 m) Motor Lifeboats (47 MLBs), which provide surf and heavy weather response capability throughout the Coast Guard,” the assessment noted.
All four SPC-HWXs were assigned to stations in the PNW: Grays Harbor (Washington), Cape Disappointment (Washington), Yaquina Bay (Oregon), and Coos Bay (Oregon), the assessment pointed out.
The SPC-HWX fleet was removed from service in 2021. Now, the USCG plans to buy up to six SPC-HWX IIs.
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