USCGC Sherman ship disarmed, preparing to be delivered to Vietnam
The United States Coast Guard has released new photos of the patrol boat USCGC Sherman (WHEC 720) as it prepares for its handover ceremony.
Two months ago, the naval information site Naval Today reported that the US Coast Guard patrol ship USCGC Sherman with the registration number WHEC 720 had just completed its final 76-day patrol in the Bering Sea on January 23.
The ship is expected to be officially decommissioned on March 29, 2018. More notably, the Sherman will be handed over to the Vietnam Coast Guard, similar to the USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC 720), which has been renumbered CSB 8020 and is present in Coast Guard Region 3.
This is not surprising because Vietnam has expressed its intention to receive more Hamilton-class patrol boats and the WHEC 720 is also the most convenient vehicle that can be handed over to us because it is located right in Honolulu port, in the same location as the USCGC Morgenthau, while the other two Hamilton-class boats are located on the other side of the US.
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| Patrol boat USCGC Sherman (WHEC 720) on her final voyage in U.S. Coast Guard service. |
The USCGC Sherman patrol boat also has similar armament to other Hamiltons, including the AN/SPS-40 2D air reconnaissance radar and Mk 92 fire control radar.
The ship's firepower includes a 76.2 mm Oto Breda naval gun, a 20 mm Phalanx CIWS close-in defense system, a 25 mm M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon, a 12.7 mm M2 Browning heavy machine gun and a 7.62 mm M240 light machine gun.
However, when handed over, according to precedent, it is almost 100% certain that the USCGC Sherman will only retain the Mk 92 fire radar and the 76 mm Oto Breda gun, other equipment will be removed.
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| USCGC Sherman (WHEC 720) patrol boat has had its Phalanx system removed from its stern. |
In the latest image of the Sherman, it is easy to see that the 20mm Phalanx CIWS close-in defense system has been removed, indicating that the ship is beginning to enter the handover phase to Vietnam.
Following the Phalanx gun module, the second object to be removed will be the AN/SPS-40 air reconnaissance radar. This dismantling job is not complicated and can be completed in a short time.
After completing the equipment recovery, the ship will be ready to be "transferred" to the Vietnam Coast Guard on March 29.
