Medium endurance cutter

The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter mainly consisting of the Template:Convert Famous- and Template:Convert Reliance-class cutters. These larger cutters are under control of Area Commands (Atlantic Area or Pacific Area).<ref name="cg_ds">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These cutters have adequate accommodations for crew to live on board<ref name="cg_ds" /> and can do 6 to 8 week patrols.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Verify credibility</ref>

Other ships in the WMEC classification are the Template:Convert Template:USCGC, and the now-decommissioned Template:Convert Template:USCGC, and Template:Convert Template:USCGC,<ref> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Template:Convert Template:USCGC which began as the United States Navy Template:Sclass Template:USS launched in 1943.

There are 13 vessels in the Famous class, and 12 vessels still in active US service in the Reliance class. The Coast Guard plans to eventually phase out the vessels in both of these cutter classes and replace them with the Offshore Patrol Cutter as part of the Integrated Deepwater System Program.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

After World War II, the United States Coast Guard used the US Navy hull classification system. The large, sea-going cutters were classified primarily as Coast Guard gunboats (WPG), destroyer escorts (WDE), and seaplane tenders (WAVP). In 1965 the Coast Guard adopted its own designation system and these large cutters were then referred to as Coast Guard High Endurance Cutters (WHEC). The coastal cutters once known as Cruising Cutters, Second Class and then as Coast Guard patrol craft (WPC) were now Coast Guard Medium Endurance Cutters (WMEC)."<ref name="cg_hist">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Famous-class cutter

Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship class overviewTemplate:Infobox ship characteristics

The Famous-class vessels have hull numbers in the range from WMEC-901 through WMEC-913. Entering service in the 1980s, the Famous-class cutters were designed as replacements for the Template:Convert Template:Sclass2s, and their mission profile emphasized law enforcement, particularly patrolling the newly established Template:Convert exclusive economic zone.<ref name="cg_hist" />

The Coast Guard harvested weapons systems components from decommissioned Template:Sclasss to save money. Harvesting components from four decommissioned frigates resulted in more than $24 million in cost savings, which increased with parts from more decommissioned frigates. Equipment such as the Mark 75, 76 mm/62 caliber gun mounts, gun control panels, barrels, launchers, junction boxes, and other components from decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates were returned to service aboard Famous-class cutters in order to extend their service lives into the 2030s.<ref>U.S. Navy harvests decommissioned Frigates weapon systems for U.S. Coast Guard use Template:Webarchive - Navyrecognition.com, 26 October 2014</ref>

Ships in class

File:USCGC Harriet Lane WMEC 903 moored at NS Guantanamo Bay.jpg

Template:USCGC moored at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

File:USCG Seneca.jpg

The cutter Template:USCGC in the Casco Bay in Falmouth, Maine. Chebeague and Little Chebeague Island are behind her.

Famous class

Hull number	Name	Commissioned	Status
WMEC-901	Template:USCGC	February 4, 1983<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class>Template:Cite book</ref>	Active
WMEC-902	Template:USCGC	March 16, 1984<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-903	Template:USCGC	September 20, 1984<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-904	Template:USCGC	December 17, 1984<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-905	Template:USCGC	June 28, 1986<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-906	Template:USCGC	May 4, 1987<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-907	Template:USCGC	August 27, 1987<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-908	Template:USCGC	April 6, 1988<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-909	Template:USCGC	August 19, 1988<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-910	Template:USCGC	June 30, 1989<ref name=Scheina-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-911	Template:USCGC	August 4, 1990<ref name=Polmar-Famous-class>Template:Cite book</ref>	Active
WMEC-912	Template:USCGC	August 4, 1990<ref name=Polmar-Famous-class/>	Active
WMEC-913	Template:USCGC	March 20, 1991<ref name=Polmar-Famous-class/>	Active

Service Life Extension Program

The service life extension (SLEP) program for eight cutters of the class started in July 2021 with prototype work for electrical and structural systems on the Seneca and Harriet Lane. Additionally, Harriet Lane served as the prototype for the replacement of the main gun with a Mk38 Mod 3 25mm machine gun.<ref name=Harriet-Lane-SLEP-end>Template:Cite press release</ref> The production phase of the SLEP, which will be carried out on Spencer, Legare, Campbell, Forward, Escanaba and Tahoma, covers four main areas: the electrical, structural and weapons systems work prototyped on Seneca and Harriet Lane and finally replacement of the main propulsion Diesel engines.<ref name=SLEP-production-phase/> The last SLEP is expected to be complete by 2030.<ref name=Spencer-SLEP-end/>

SLEP Status

Hull number	Name	Entered SLEP	Departed SLEP
WMEC-906	Template:USCGC	July 2021<ref name=SLEP-production-phase/>	April 4, 2022<ref name=Seneca-SLEP-end-Harriet-Lane-start>Template:Cite press release</ref>
WMEC-903	Template:USCGC	March 28, 2022<ref name=Seneca-SLEP-end-Harriet-Lane-start/>	August 3, 2023<ref name=Harriet-Lane-SLEP-end/>
WMEC-905	Template:USCGC	July 1, 2023<ref name=SLEP-production-phase>Template:Cite press release</ref>	March 8, 2025<ref name=Spencer-SLEP-end>Template:Cite press release</ref>
WMEC-912	Template:USCGC	June 24, 2024<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
WMEC-909	Template:USCGC
WMEC-911	Template:USCGC
WMEC-907	Template:USCGC
WMEC-908	Template:USCGC

Reliance-class cutter

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The Reliance-class vessels have hull numbers in the range from WMEC-615 through WMEC-630. Entering service between 1964 and 1969, the Reliance-class cutters were meant to replace the Template:Convert cutters of the Prohibition era and were the first major cutter replacement project since the Template:Convert Template:Sclasss from World War II.<ref name="cg_hist" />

The 210s (210-foot cutters) received upgrades and modifications (in a program named "Midlife Maintenance Availability" or MMA) during the 1986 through 1990 time period. The "A"-class cutters had their gas turbines removed, and all 210s had their stern transom exhaust systems replaced with a traditional stack. While this modification reduced the size of the flight deck, they were still more than capable of carrying out helicopter operations. Other modifications included enlarging the superstructure area, replacing the main armament, and increasing the fire-fighting capability of the cutters. The modifications cost approximately $20 million per cutter, well above their original cost of about $3.5 million each.<ref name="cg_hist" />

Ships in class

Reliance class

Hull number	Name	Status
WMEC-615	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-616	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-617	Template:Ship	Active
WMEC-618	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-619	Template:USCGC	In commission, special status
WMEC-620	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-621	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-622	Template:USCGC	Decommissioned
WMEC-623	Template:USCGC	Decommissioned
WMEC-624	Template:USCGC	In commission, special status
WMEC-625	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-626	Template:USCGC	In commission, special status
WMEC-627	Template:USCGC	Active
WMEC-628	Template:USCGC	Decommissioned
WMEC-629	Template:USCGC	Decommissioned
WMEC-630	Template:Ship	Active

Courageous was decommissioned on 19 September 2001. She was transferred to the government of Sri Lanka on 24 June 2004 as Template:Ship (P-621).

Durable was decommissioned on 20 September 2001. In 2003 she was transferred to the Coast Guard of the Colombian Navy as ARC Valle del Cauca (PO-44).

Decisive was decommissioned on 2 March 2023.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Steadfast was decommissioned on 1 February 2024.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Dependable was removed from active service and placed in commission, special status on 9 April 2024. Her crew were transferred to other Coast Guard units to help meet the service-wide shortage of enlisted personnel.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Dauntless was removed from active service and placed in commission, special status on 21 June 2024. As of that date she had served 56 years. She and Steadfast are the only two Coast Guard cutters to have seized one million pounds of marijuana.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

References

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File:USCGC Diligence WPC-616 stern.jpg

Template:USCGC in 1965. Note the lack of exhaust stacks and the exhaust ports at the waterline on the transom on the original design. Reliance class cutters would have stacks added during future overhauls.