May 19, 2007: The U.S. Navy is spending $8 million
to charter a 220 foot long offshore supply vessel (for the oil industry) to
serve as a "mother ship" for its small
patrol boats. The supply vessel MV (motor vessel) C-Courageous will have
accommodations for 30 patrol boat sailors, a helicopter pad and repair and
maintenance facilities for the 39 foot patrol boats the navy uses in its
offshore and river patrol squadrons. The ship will carry supplies for 30 days
of operations.
During the Vietnam, the navy used World War II era
LSTs as mother ships for patrol boats. These LSTs were larger, 350 foot long,
ships, but basically did the same job that C-Courageous will perform, probably
in Iraq. The company that built the C-Courageous, Edison Chouest, has
previously built support ships for navy SEAL operations.
