River Gunboats
Page 61
RCB returning on board RFA Cardigan Bay, 2012. (Photo Ministry of Defence Ref 45154445)
Launched:
Since 2007 by Safeboat International, Port Orchard, Washington.
Dimensions:
Displ: 12.8 tons empty, 19.7 tons full load; L: 15.9m/52ft; B: 3.8m/12ft 6in; D: 0.8m/2ft 8in.
Crew:
3 + up to 21 troops.
Power/Speed:
Twin KaMeWa FF partially-ducted waterjets; 2 × 625bhp Scania DS114 V8 diesel engines/40 knots.
Guns/Armour:
Various, including: twin and single .50 cal Browning HMG; 7.62mm Minigun; 40mm Mk 19 grenade launcher/Can be fitted with armour protection.
Fate:
In service.
SEAL BOATS
Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R) boats
Note the impressive firepower these craft can bring to bear. Also, to lower their silhouette, the radar mast can fold. The bow wave in the photo would be seen on exiting the scene, arrival normally requiring stealth.
The latest SEAL team delivery boat, the SOC-R, descendant of the Vietnam-era LSSCs. Seen in the Salt River, Northern Kentucky. (US Navy photo).
Diagram of the SOC-R weapons fit. (Popular Mechanics magazine)
Launched:
Since 2003 by United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Mississippi.
Dimensions:
Displ: 6.9 tons (empty), 8.8 tons (full load); L: 10m/33ft; B: 2.97m/9ft 9in; D: 0.61m/2ft.
Crew:
4 + 8 SEALs.
Power/Speed:
Twin Hamilton HJ292 waterjets; 2 × Yanmar 6LY2M 440bhp diesel engines/40 knots.
Guns/Armour:
Various weapon fits, typically: 2 × 7.62mm Miniguns; 2 × M240B 7.62mm MG; 1 × .50 cal Browning HMG; 2 × 40mm Mk 19 grenade launchers/Fitted with armour protection against small-arms projectiles.
Fate:
In service.
PB Mk V SOC (Special Operations Craft)
The PB Mk V was specially designed as the first SEAL insertion craft to enter service since the disappearance of the LSSC at the end of the Vietnam War. An aluminium monohull design, it incorporated shock-absorbing seats intended to reduce injury to occupants at high speed. This requirement was not fully met, however, and a major redesign resulted in the MAKO version with a hull constructed of layers of carbon fibre, with a foam core and an external layer of Kevlar.
PB Mk V showing its stern launch/recovery ramp. (US Navy photo)
Launched:
Since 1995 by VT Halter Marine Inc., of Gulfport, Mississippi.
Dimensions:
Displ: 57 tons; L: 25m/82ft; B: 5.25m/17ft 6in; D: 1.5m/5ft.
Crew:
5 + 16 SEALs.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × 2,285bhp MTU 12V396 TE94 diesel engines/65+ knots.
Guns/Armour:
Various weapon fits, including: 25mm chain guns; .50 cal Browning HMG; 7.62mm Miniguns; 40mm Mk 19 grenade launchers; 7.62mm M240 MG; Stinger surface-to-air missiles.
Fate:
In service.
PB Mk VI
The Mk VI is a larger, more comfortable and more versatile platform than the Mk V it is designed to replace. Its rear deck allows for launching rubber boats, UAVs or UUVs.
Launched:
2014 by Safe Boats International.
Dimensions:
Displ: 72 tons; L: 25m/85ft; B: 6.7m/22ft; D: 1.2m/4ft.
Crew:
10 + 8 SEALs.
Power/Speed:
Twin waterjets; 2 × diesel engines, total 5,200bhp/35+ knots.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 25mm Mk38 Mod 2 chain guns; 6 × .50 cal Browning HMG. Plus as appropriate to the mission: 7.62mm Miniguns; 40mm Mk 19 grenade launchers; 7.62mm M240 MG; Griffin surface-to-surface missiles/Plating protects engines, fuel tanks etc.
Fate:
In service.
PB Mk VI at speed off San Diego in 2013. (US Navy photo)
URUGUAY
Uruguay is the second smallest nation in South America after Suriname, but it has extensive river systems: the Plate River, the Uruguay River and the Rio Negro. The Uruguayan navy was traditionally small, and for many years up until the Second World War gathered together a varied collection of gunboats to defend its coastline and rivers.
General Artegas
General Artegas was ordered from the Austrian shipyard in Trieste. She entered service in 1884.
General Artegas in 1886. (Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
Launched:
1883 in Trieste.
Dimensions:
L: 39m/127ft 11in; B: 6.25m/20ft 6in; D: 2.57m/8ft 5in.
Crew:
60.
Power/Speed:
Single screw?; compound steam engine.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 120mm Krupp; 2 × 1in Gardner MG.
Fate:
Scrapped 1913.
General Rivera
The small gunboat General Rivera was built in Montevideo, and transported through the city to the port where she was launched in April 1884. She was destroyed by a boiler explosion 8 October 1903.
Launched:
April 1884 by the Workshops of the School of Arts & Crafts, Montevideo.
Dimensions:
Displ: 241 tons, 300 tons full load; L: 35.5m/116ft 6in; B: 6.65m/21ft 10in; D: 3.3m/10ft 10in.
Crew:
75.
Power/Speed:
Single screw?; compound steam engine/12 knots.
Guns/Armour:
4 × 95mm Krupp; 1 × 25mm (1in) Nordenfelt MG. By 1903: 1 × 150mm; 1 × 60mm QF.
Fate:
Sunk 1903.
General Rivera being transported through the streets of Montevideo to the port. The workmen appear to be using treetrunks as rollers. (Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
General Rivera afloat. (Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
General Rivera sunk. (Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
General Suárez
The French gunboat Tactique, normally stationed in the River Plate and already almost a quarter of a century old, was purchased by Uruguay in 1886 and put into service as General Suárez. Her engine and boilers were removed before the Great War, and in 1915 she was converted to a school training hulk, being stricken five years later.
Launched:
1863 by Cherbourg DY.
Dimensions:
Displ: 365 tons, 400 tons full load; L: 43.5m/142ft 8in; B: 6.25m/20ft 6in; D: 2.57m/8ft 5in.
Crew:
57.
Power/Speed:
Single screw?; compound steam engine/9 knots.
Guns/Armour:
In French service: 2 × brass MLR. As re-armed by Uruguay: 4 × 75mm Krupp; 2 × 25mm (1in) Nordenfelt MG; 2 × 11mm Nordenfelt MG.
Fate:
Stricken 1920.
18 de Julio
The iron-hulled brigantine-rigged gunboat 18 de Julio was built as the private yacht Lady Nell for the Earl of Shrewsbury in 1884. After General Rivera was destroyed by a boiler explosion in 1903, funds were voted to buy two replacement vessels. One was the ex-yacht Lady Nell, by then renamed Normania, which was laid up in Buenos Aires in 1908. She was armed and modified for naval use, and entered service the following year. Used as a Navy School training ship, she was also the headquarters for the Mechanics and Army Schools. Her luxury yacht fittings were gradually removed, and it is rumoured that the furnishings of her main bedroom were transferred to the Naval Club. 18 de Julio was stricken in around 1950, and was laid up at Salto, being broken up over several years.
Launched:
31 January 1884 as Lady Nell by Leith Ramage & Ferguson.
Dimensions:
Displ: 543 tons; L: 53.8m/176ft 6in; B: 7.85m/25ft 9in; D: 4m/13ft 1in.
Crew:
75.
Power/Speed:
Single screw; compound steam engine 650ihp/12 knots.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 3-pounder QF; 2 × Hotchkiss MG.<
br />
Fate:
Stricken circa 1950.
Oriental
This patrol boat was purchased in 1908, probably with the remainder of the funds collected to replace the General Rivera. No details are recorded, but it is likely she began life as a private yacht, built in the United States. Oriental is seen above as she arrived from the States after a difficult voyage, before being armed.
Maldonado
Maldonado was bought by the Uruguayan Navy in 1908 and armed. In 1936 she was transferred to the Interior Ministry as Baron de Rio Branco and moved to the Merin Lagoon.
Launched:
1856 in Germany.
Dimensions:
Displ: 600 tons; L: 60m/196ft 10in; B: 6.67m/21ft 10in; D: 2.3m/7ft 6½in.
Power/Speed:
Side paddle wheels; compound steam engines 600ihp/12 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 6-pounder QF; 2 × 3-pounder QF; 2 × MG.
Fate:
To Interior Ministry 1936.
Paysandú, Salto and Rio Negro
In 1935 the Uruguayan Coast Guard decided to order three patrol boats, to be built in Italy. They were designated A1 Paysandú, A2 Salto and A3 Rio Negro. Delivered in 1936, they served mainly in the Uruguay River for many years. After retirement in 1973, Salto was used as a hydrographic survey vessel up until 1999.
Launched:
1935 by Cantieri Navali Riuniti.
Dimensions:
Displ: 150 tons, 180 tons full load; L: 42.1m/137ft; B: 5.8m/19ft; D: 1.58m/5ft.
Crew:
26.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × 1,000bhp Germania diesel engines/17 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 37mm AA; 2 × 20mm Breda. Salto as survey vessel: 2 × 20mm Breda; 1 × MG.
Fate:
Paysandú and Rio Negro stricken 1963; Salto stricken 1999.
(Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
Paysandú seen in 1935 after her launch, but before being armed. (Photo from Website www.histamar.org)
ROU 12 Paysandú, built in Italy. (Photo by G Berger on Website www.histamar.org)
ROU 12 Paysandú
Built in Italy for the Uruguayan Coast Guard, the modern Paysandú was commissioned as ROU 12 on 29 November 1968, and remains in service.
Launched:
July 1968 in Italy.
Dimensions:
Displ: 65 tons; L: 25.5m/83ft 8in; B: 6.5m/21ft 4in; D: 1.85m/6ft 1in.
Crew:
11.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × diesel engines.
Guns/Armour:
1 × .50 cal Browning HMG?
Fate:
In service.
‘Vigilante’ Class
Three patrol boats of the ‘Vigilante’ Ccass were built in French yards in 1980, modified to meet specifications laid down by the Uruguayan Coast Guard. Delivered the following year, they are: 15 de Noviembre, 25 de Agosto and Comodoro Coe. The Uruguayans discovered that their upkeep was more costly than planned, and they attempted to sell the boats in 1995. However, having found no buyers, they decided to keep them in active service.
Launched:
1980 in France.
Dimensions:
Displ: 199 tons, 180 tons full load; L: 41.8m/137ft 2in; B: 6.7m/22ft; D: 2.47m/8ft 1in.
Crew:
28.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 2 × diesel engines, total 5,400bhp/28 knots.
Guns/Armour:
1 × 40mm.
Fate:
In service.
ROU 05 15 de Noviembre of the Vigilante class. (Photo by G. Berger on Website www.histamar.org)
Colonia and Rio Negro
These two patrol boats are ex-US Coast Guard Cape class cutters, built after the Second World War as anti-submarine vessels. Following their replacement by the 110ft cutters, several were passed to friendly navies, and the Uruguayan Coast Guard received Type A No 65302 ex-Cape Higgon on 5 January 1990, renamed as Colonia. With a deckhouse added aft of the bridge, Type C No 95322 ex-Cape Horn, was transferred the same month and renamed Rio Negro. Both are in active service at the time of writing.
Launched:
Colonia 14 October 1953, Rio Negro 3 September 1958, by US Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Baltimore.
Dimensions:
Displ: Colonia 102 tons, Rio Negro 98 tons; L: 29m/95ft; B: 6.1m/20ft; D: 1.93m/6ft 4in.
Crew:
15.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws; 4 × Cummins VT-600 diesel engines, total 2,200bhp/Colonia 20 knots, Rio Negro 22 knots.
Guns/Armour:
(As armed in US Coast Guard service) Colonia: 2 × 20mm Oerlikons; 2 × .50 cal Browning HMG. Rio Negro: 2 × .50 cal Browning HMG; 2 × 40mm Mk 64 grenade launchers.
Fate:
In service.
UZBEKISTAN
‘Shmel’ Class
Six ‘Shmel’ Class armoured gunboats were transferred to Uzbekistan, for service on the Amu-Darya. For details, see RUSSIA Part II.
Gyurza Class
Two Gyurza class Project 58150 armoured patrol boats, funded by the USA to the tune of $5.6 million, were built by the Ukrainian shipyard Leninska Kuznya in 2004 for the Uzbek Frontier Service. Commissioned in 2005, they were named Dzhaikhun and Saikhun, and are stationed in Termez, patrolling the Amu-Darya River on the Afghan border.
They are armed with two BM-5M.1 Katran-M turrets, one fore and one aft.
Launched:
2004 by Leninska Kuznya, Kiev.
Dimensions:
Displ: 39.91 tons full load; L: 20.7m/67ft 1in; B: 3.9m/12ft 9½in; D: 0.70m/2ft 3½in.
Crew:
5.
Power/Speed:
Twin screws in tunnels; 2 × 870bhp Caterpillar 3406 E diesel engines/27.8 knots.
Guns/Armour:
2 × 30mm ZTM-1 cannon; 2 × 30mm grenade launchers; 2 × 7.62mm MG; 4 × Barrier AT missiles/Citadel armoured protection covering wheelhouse, engine room and armament turrets, bulletproof against 7.62mm and 5.56mm calibres.
Fate:
In service.
Gyurza of the type exported to Uzbekistan. (Photo from site: http://www.w54.biz/showthread.php?331-Brown-Water-Navy/page15)
VIETNAM
On the unification of North and South Vietnam, the Vietnamese Navy inherited the surviving South Vietnamese river gunboats. For details, see SOUTH VIETNAM.
In addition Vietnam has received the following units from Russia:
Project 1400 Grif Class
Russia transferred a total of fourteen Zhuk class boats, all of the Project 1400ME series, as follows: three units in 1978, three units in November 1979, one unit in November 1981, one unit in May 1985, three units in February 1986, two units in 1989 and two units in 1990. For details, see RUSSIA Part II.
Svetlyak
Six Project 10401 Svetlyak vessels were transferred as follows: two on 17 October 2002, two on 1 March 2012 and two on 16 August 2012. For details, see RUSSIA Part II
YUGOSLAVIA
The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in late 1918 led to the creation of an enlarged Serbia, initially known as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which in 1929 became Yugoslavia. When the fighting ended, many units of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla were at Belgrade, where they were interned. Hungary wished to take over several, but the Allies were unwilling to allow this. For their part the Yugoslavs had planned to take over all the remaining units of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, but in this plan they too were soon thwarted. No sooner had the dreadnought fleet flagship Viribus Unitis raised the Croatian flag than she was sunk by an Italian human torpedo. The Allies were prepared to pass several of the river flotilla vessels to the new Yugoslavia, but certainly not all. Therefore in April 1920 the former Austro-Hungarian ships were parcelled out.
THE PERIOD 1918–1941
Morava
Interned at Belgrade, Körös was taken over by the Serbs and renamed
Morava. In April 1920 she was officially transferred to Yugoslavia. With the fall of Yugoslavia in April 1941, she was scuttled by her crew, but was salvaged and handed to the Croatian Danube Flotilla, who renamed her Bosna. Bosna was lost to a mine in June 1944 on the River Una. For her specifications, see AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.
Sava and Drina
Temes was taken over in November 1918 by the Yugoslavs and renamed Drina. In April 1920 she was transferred to Romania as the Ardeal.
Bodrog was also taken over by the Serbs, after having run aground on a sandbank when retreating to Budapest. She was renamed Sava, and in April 1920 it was confirmed she should remain a Yugoslav vessel. With the German invasion of Yugoslavia, on 12 April 1941 she was scuttled by her crew at Belgrade, but was salvaged by the Germans and incorporated in the Croatian River Flotilla. Sunk by Yugoslav artillery fire at Bosanski-Brod on 9 September 1944, she was once again salvaged and incorporated in the Yugoslav Navy. Rearmed with two 105mm SK/c32 German guns, three 40mm Bofors and six 20mm Oerlikons, she served from 1952 to 1962. Her hulk has been earmarked for preservation. For her specifications, see AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.
Drava
In December 1918 Enns was at Belgrade and was interned there by the Serbs, who incorporated her into their Danube Flotilla as Drava. She was officially transferred to Yugoslavia by the Allies in April 1924. On 12 April 1941 Drava was sunk by Stuka dive bombers at Sip. Of her complement of sixty-seven, her captain and fifty-three crew members were killed when a bomb fell down her funnel and exploded in the engine room. Salvaged by the Hungarians who intended to rebuild her as the only former Austro-Hungarian monitor in their possession, she was badly damaged during an Allied bombing raid on Budapest, and was scrapped. For her specifications, see AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.