USS Thunderbolt

USS Thunderbolt (PC-12) is the twelfth Cyclone-class patrol ship. Thunderbolt was laid down 9 June 1994 by Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, Louisiana, and launched 2 December 1994. She was commissioned by the United States Navy on 7 October 1995.

USS Thunderbolt in both Coast Guard and Navy markings.
History
Egypt
NamesakeThunderbolt
Ordered19 July 1991
BuilderBollinger Shipyards, Lockport, Louisiana
Laid down9 June 1994
Launched2 December 1994
Acquired22 March 2023
HomeportAlexanderia Egypt
IdentificationIMO number: 9067855
StatusAccepted, Awaiting Commissioning
General characteristics
Class and typeCyclone-class patrol ship
Displacement331 tons
Length174 ft (53 m)
Beam25 ft (7.6 m)
Draught7.5 ft (2.3 m)
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Complement4 officers, 24 men, 8 Special Forces
Armament
USS Thunderbolt in both Coast Guard and Navy markings.
History
United States
NameThunderbolt
NamesakeThunderbolt
Ordered19 July 1991
BuilderBollinger Shipyards, Lockport, Louisiana
Laid down9 June 1994
Launched2 December 1994
Acquired5 August 1995
Commissioned7 October 1995
Decommissioned22 March 2023
HomeportNaval Support Activity Bahrain
IdentificationIMO number: 9067855
Motto"Defend or Destroy"
StatusTransferred to Egyptian Navy [1]
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeCyclone-class patrol ship
Displacement331 tons
Length174 ft (53 m)
Beam25 ft (7.6 m)
Draught7.5 ft (2.3 m)
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Complement4 officers, 24 men, 8 Special Forces
Armament

Operational history

In 2013,Thunderbolt shifted homeport to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, arriving pierside there on 3 July 2013.[2]

On 25 July 2017, Thunderbolt fired warning shots at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy vessel. According to an unnamed U.S. defense official source, "The IRGCN boat was coming in at a high rate of speed. It did not respond to any signals, they did not respond to any bridge-to-bridge calls, they (the USS Thunderbolt) felt there was no choice except to fire the warning shots."[3]

On 30 August 2022, Thunderbolt was involved in an incident with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) when the IRGC's ship Shahid Baziar attempted to tow away a U.S. Navy Saildrone Explorer-type unmanned surface vehicle which had been monitoring the Persian Gulf. Thunderbolt, as well as a U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, moved to intercept the Iranian vessel and by radio identified the drone as U.S. government property. The drone was released after about four hours.[4][5]

On 22 March 2023, ex-USS Thunderbolt and two of her sister ships were transferred to the Egyptian Navy following transit to Alexandria from the United States. During the transit both US Navy and Egptian Navy participated in bilateral training in preparation of the transfer. [6]

References
  1. "U.S. Navy Transfers Three Patrol Craft to Egyptian Navy". 22 March 2023.
  2. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs (29 June 2017). "5th Fleet PC Force Grows to Eight Ships (Story Number: NNS130703-06)" (Press release). Naval Support Activity, Bahrain. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. AFP (25 July 2017). "US Navy ship fires warning shots at Iranian vessel". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  4. Gambrell, Jon (30 August 2022). "US Navy says Iran seized, later let go of American sea drone". Associated Press. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  5. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs (30 August 2022). "U.S. Navy Foils Iranian Attempt to Capture Unmanned Vessel in Arabian Gulf". U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  6. "U.S. Navy Transfers Three Patrol Craft to Egyptian Navy". 22 March 2023.
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