Editing Marine Protector-class patrol boat (section)

== History ==
[[File:USCG Sailfish Roosevelt Is jeh.jpg|thumb|left|{{USCGC|Sailfish|WPB-87356|6}} in [[New York City]]]]
[[File:USCGC Haddock tour.webm|thumb|left|Tour of USCGC ''Haddock'', {{circa}} 2020]]
The Coast Guard placed its original order in 1999 for 50 boats, which were delivered by mid-2002.<ref name="MarineTalk1999-10-18">{{Cite news |date=18 October 1999 |title=Patrol Boat |url=http://www.marinetalk.com/articles-marine-companies/art/Patrol-Boat-121947N.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126073141/http://marinetalk.com/articles-marine-companies/art/Patrol-Boat-121947N.html |archive-date=26 November 2010 |work=[[Marine Talk]]}}</ref>  Several additional orders brought the class to a total of 77 ships. Seventy-five were delivered under the original Coast Guard contract with Bollinger, with the last, {{USCGC|Sea Fox|WPB-87374|6}}, being completed in October 2009.<ref name="LastMarineProtector">{{Cite news |last=Keyon K. Jeff |date=11 October 2009 |title=Bollinger Shipyards delivers final Marine Protector-class CPB |url=http://www.tri-parishtimes.com/articles/2009/05/11/business_news/239_50_bollinger.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20091011180747/http://www.tri-parishtimes.com/articles/2009/05/11/business_news/239_50_bollinger.txt |archive-date=11 October 2009 |work=[[Tri-Parish Times]] |quote=We're very sad to see the Sea Fox leave. This contract was supposed to end at 51 vessels, and now we're at 75," said Christopher Bollinger, executive vice president of new construction.}}</ref><ref name="MarineNews2007-07">{{Cite news |date=July 2007 |title=USCG Contract for Bollinger |url=http://www.safetysea.org/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=155&lid=1277 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718022730/http://www.safetysea.org/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=155&lid=1277 |archive-date=18 July 2014 |access-date=17 July 2014 |publisher=[[Marine News]] |page=8 |quote=What began in 1996 as a contract from the U. S. Coast Guard to Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., to build an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat (CPB) with options, has led to the delivery of 67 of the CPBs, and the signing of eight more CPBs.}}</ref> Two of these were delivered to the Maritime Squadron of Malta.<ref name=FlynnSmallCutters /> A separate Coast Guard contract built two additional patrol boats for the [[Yemen Coast Guard]].<ref name="Uscg2009-12-15">{{Cite news |date=15 December 2009 |title=International Acquisition Programs |url=http://www.uscg.mil/ACQUISITION/international/ |work=[[United States Coast Guard]] |quote=The Coast Guard awarded a $28.2 million contract to Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., in Lockport, La., on September 11, 2009, to build two 87-foot Protector-class Coastal Patrol Boats for the Yemen Coast Guard.}}</ref>

The Marine Protector class replaced the 82-foot {{sclass2|Point|cutter|4}}, which had smaller accommodations and had to stop to deploy its pursuit inflatable boat via crane. The last Point-class cutter was decommissioned in 2003.<ref name="USCG02">{{Cite web |title=87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat (WPB) – Marine Protector Class |url=http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/87wpb.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517223324/https://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/87wpb.asp |archive-date=17 May 2017 |access-date=16 January 2012 |website=Marine Protector Class datasheet |publisher=US Coast Guard Historian's Office}}</ref><ref name="Brower" />

In 2020, the Department of Homeland Security began to decommission the fleet, with eight Marine Protector cutters replaced by newer [[Sentinel-class cutter|Sentinel class cutters]].<ref name="dhsCGBudget2021" />

In May 2021, the United States announced that it would send three decommissioned ships to the [[Lebanese Navy]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 June 2021 |title=The Lebanese Navy is Getting 7 New Offshore Patrol Vessels |url=https://www.the961.com/lebanese-navy-7-new-offshore-patrol-vessels/}}</ref>

In 2022, three decommissioned ships, ''Albacore'', ''Cochito'', and ''Gannet'' were donated to the [[National Navy of Uruguay|Uruguayan Navy]] under the Excess Defense Articles program.  As part of the transfer deal, Uruguay spent $4.99 million to refurbish the ships, on spare parts, and to train their crews.  They were renamed ''Rio Arapey'', ''Rio De La Plata'', and ''Rio Yaguaron''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Montevideo |first=U. S. Embassy |date=18 November 2022 |title=U.S. Supports Uruguay Navy’s Fleet Modernization with $8.69 million Protector Class Donation |url=https://uy.usembassy.gov/protectorclassvessels/ |access-date=5 February 2024 |website=U.S. Embassy in Uruguay |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2022 |title=Uruguayan Navy Modernizes Fleet with US Coast Guard Support |url=https://dialogo-americas.com/articles/uruguayan-navy-modernizes-fleet-with-us-coast-guard-support/ |access-date=5 February 2024 |website=Diálogo Américas |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023, the United States delivered two former Coast Guard Marine Protector-class ships to the Ghanaian Navy.  They were commissioned as GNS ''Aflao'' and GNS ''Half'' ''Assini''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ghana Navy commissions new vessels |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/ghana-navy-commissions-new-vessels |access-date=6 February 2024 |website=Janes.com |language=en}}</ref>

In May 2023, the United States government pledged to provide the [[Philippines]] at least two Marine Protector vessels, as well as two [[Island-class patrol boat]] and three [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|Lockheed C-130H Hercules]] during President [[Bongbong Marcos]]' visit to [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Valmonte |first=Kaycee |date=2 May 2023 |title=US to transfer patrol boats, airplanes to Philippine military |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/05/02/2263176/us-transfer-patrol-boats-airplanes-philippine-military |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230503015323/https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/05/02/2263176/us-transfer-patrol-boats-airplanes-philippine-military |archive-date=3 May 2023 |access-date=3 May 2023 |website=Philstar Global}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 May 2023 |title=Philippines To Receive Four Ex-US Coast Guard Patrol Boats |url=https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/maritime-security-world/naval/ships-naval/philippines-to-receive-four-ex-us-coast-guard-patrol-boats/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230503015514/https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/maritime-security-world/naval/ships-naval/philippines-to-receive-four-ex-us-coast-guard-patrol-boats/ |archive-date=3 May 2023 |access-date=3 May 2023 |website=Baird Maritime}}</ref> The transferred vessels will be operated by the [[Philippine Navy]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nepomuceno |first=Priam |date=3 May 2023 |title=4 US patrol boats to beef up PH Navy's defense capabilities |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200609 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230508070204/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200609 |archive-date=8 May 2023 |access-date=8 May 2023 |website=Philippine News Agency}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 June 2023 |title=Understanding the United States' Patrol Boat Pledges to the Philippine Navy |url=https://www.pitzdefanalysis.net/2023/05/understanding-us-patrol-boat-pledge-philippines.html |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Pitz Defense Analysis}}</ref>