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Coast Guard cutters Glen Harris and Emlen Tunnell transition to Patrol Forces Southwest Asia

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Coast Guard cutters Glen Harris and Emlen Tunnell depart Key West, Florida, Nov. 18, 2021. U.S. Coast Guard photo.


Coast Guard cutters Glen Harris and Emlen Tunnell departed Sector Key West, Florida, for their new homeport in Manama, Bahrain, Nov. 18. They are the second pair of fast response cutters (FRCs) to be assigned to Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) as part of the Coast Guard’s effort to replace the region’s six existing 110-foot Island-class patrol boats. Glen Harris and Emlen Tunnell, accompanied by Coast Guard Cutter Thetis, arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov. 24 and 25, respectively. The cutters are expected to complete their journey to PATFORSWA in late January 2022.

PATFORSWA is the Coast Guard's largest unit outside of the United States. Established in 2002 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, PATFORSWA plays a critical role in maritime security and maritime infrastructure protection operations. Its mission is to train, organize, equip, support and deploy combat-ready Coast Guard forces in support of U.S. Central Command and national security objectives.

The Sentinel-class FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping. The cutters are designed for multiple missions, including search and rescue; national defense; ports, waterways and coastal security; drug and migrant interdiction; and fisheries patrols.

For more information: Fast Response Cutter Program page