USCGCHamilton (WHEC-715),lead ship of theHamilton class
Class overview
Name	Hamilton class
Builders	Avondale Shipyards
Operators	SeeOperators
Preceded by	Treasury-class cutter
Succeeded by	Legend-class cutter[1]
Built	1965–1972
In commission	1967–present
Planned	12
Completed	12
Active	Serving in other countries: 2 Bangladesh Navy 2 Nigerian Navy 3 Philippine Navy 2 Sri Lanka Navy 3Vietnam Coast Guard
Retired	12 United States Coast Guard
General characteristics
Type	High endurance cutter / Large patrol vessel
Displacement	3,250 metric tons
Length	378 ft (115 m)
Beam	43 ft (13 m)
Draft	15 ft (4.6 m)
Installed power	2 × 550KW GM 8-645 diesel generators 1 × 500KW Solar Model 101506-2001 gas generator
Propulsion	CODOG system 2 ×Fairbanks-Morse 38TD8-1/8-12 12-cylinderdiesel engines generating 7,000 hp (5,200 kW) and 2 ×Pratt & Whittney FT4A-6gas turbines producing 36,000 hp (27,000 kW)
Speed	29 kn (54 km/h; 33 mph) via gas turbines
Range	12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) @ 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) via diesel[2][3]
Endurance	45 days
Complement	167 and can carry up to 186
Sensors & processing systems	AN/SPS-40E Air Search Radar AN/SPS-73 Surface Search Radar AN/SQS-35 Active/Passive towed IVDS Sonar AN/WLR-1H Electronic Support Surveillance Equipment MK 92fire-control system Mk 56 fire-control system TACAN
Electronic warfare & decoys	2 × MK 36 SRBOC launcher system
Armament	1 ×OTO Melara Mark 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × 25 mmMk38 1 × MK 15 Block 1 20 mmPhalanx CIWS 6 × .50 caliber machine guns
Aircraft carried	1 ×MH-65 Helicopter
Aviation facilities	Flight deck andHangar

TheHamilton-class cutter was the largest class of vessel in theUnited States Coast Guard until replaced by theLegend-class cutter, aside from thePolar-classicebreaker. Thehull classification symbol is prefixed WHEC. Thecutters are called theHamilton class after theirlead ship, or the "Secretary class" because most of the vessels in the class were named for formerSecretaries of the Treasury, with the exception of the "Hero-class cutters"Jarvis,Munro andMidgett.

TheHamilton-class cutters were designed to be a highly versatile platform capable of performing various operations, including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, oceanographic research, and defense operations.^[4] Because of their endurance and capabilities, theHamilton-class cutters commonly deployed withCarrier Battle Groups.^[5] They were built with a welded steel hull and aluminum superstructure. TheHamilton-class cutters' hull was designed with a V cross section, and through tank testing the hull was expected to survive and stay afloat longer after suffering damage.^[6]

They are powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) system consisting of twodiesel engines and twogas turbines, and havecontrollable-pitch propellers. They were the first U.S. military vessels with combination diesel or gas turbine operation. They were equipped with a helicopter flight deck, retractable hangar, and the facilities to supporthelicopter deployment.

TheHamilton-class cutters were designed and built during theCold War. Due to this they were originally equipped foranti-submarine warfare (ASW), with the capability to find, track and destroy enemy submarines.^[7] When constructed, they were armed with a5"/38 naval gun, two 81 mm mortars, two .50 caliber machine guns, two MK 10 Hedgehogs, twoMK 32 torpedo tube systems, andNixie torpedo countermeasures.

During the 1980s and 1990s the cutters were modernized under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program. The FRAM program replaced the 5"/38 gun with theMK 75 76 mm naval gun, upgraded the MK 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes to Mod 7, installedMK 36 SRBOC launchers and theAN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite, and upgraded the cutters' sonar and their air and surface search radars.^[8] During the modernization of the cutters the U.S. Navy saw the program as a low cost and easy way to use the cutters as a valuable force multiplier with trained crews that could be called upon during war.^[9]

After the completion of FRAM, a joint Navy/USCG board decided further upgrades to the cutters' armament would be implemented, including the installation ofHarpoon anti-ship missiles and a MK 15Phalanx CIWS. The Harpoon anti-ship missiles were fitted to multiple cutters of the class but only one cutter, the USCGCMellon, ever fired a Harpoon missile, in January 1990.^[9] After the collapse of theSoviet Union, the joint Navy/USCG board decided there was no military threat to require the installation of anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine weapons on board cutters, and removed the weapons.^[10]

After the removal of the ASW weapons, the Coast Guard installedMK 38 25 mm chain guns on both sides of each cutter. TheHamilton-class cutters were equipped with the Coast Guard's SeaWatch command and control system, which combined navigational, tactical, surveillance and communications into one situational awareness picture, replacing the cutters' outdated Shipboard Command and Control System.^[11] Missile defense was handled by the MK 36 launchers and the Phalanx CIWS.

The 378-foot WHEC cutter program which created theHamilton class was initiated in the 1960s. TheHamilton-class cutters were intended to fulfill both the peacetime and wartime requirements of the Coast Guard.^[12] Construction at Avondale Shipyards on the lead ship, theHamilton, began in the 1960s and the cutter was commissioned on March 18, 1967. Originally the Coast Guard planned to build 36Hamilton-class cutters. Due to thetermination of the ocean stations program, they reduced the number of planned cutters to 12.^[13]

During theVietnam War multipleHamilton-class cutters supportedOperation Market Time. The cutters patrolled the South Vietnamese coastline, boarded and inspected suspected North Vietnamese and Viet Cong vessels, conductednaval gunfire support missions, and provided medical assistance to Vietnamese civilians.^[14] Throughout their serviceHamilton-class participated in other conflicts and military operations such asOperation Urgent Fury,Operation Vigilant Sentinel,Operation Deny Flight, andOperation Iraqi Freedom.^[15][16][17]

Beginning in the 1980s and ending in 1992, the entire class was modernized through the FRAM program. The program included updates and changes to the cutters weapons, sensors, the addition of a helicopter hangar, engine overhauls, and improved habitability.

CuttersMidgett andMunro were renamed toJohn Midgett andDouglas Munro to allow the new Legend-class cuttersMidgett andMunro to assume the former names of the twoHamilton-class cutters.

In March 2007, cuttersHamilton andSherman intercepted the Panamanian-flagged fishing vesselGatun in international waters and recovered 20 metric tons (20 long tons) of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $600 million retail. The seizure was at that time the largest at-sea drug bust in US history.^[18]

•  Bangladesh Navy
•  Nigerian Navy
•  Philippine Navy
•  Sri Lanka Navy
• Vietnam Coast Guard

•  United States Coast Guard

• Treasury-class cutter

Wikimedia Commons has media related toHamilton class cutters.

• 378-foot (115 m) High Endurance Cutter Fact Sheet
• GlobalSecurity.org overview
• Next Navy ship to be named after Corregidor hero

• High endurance cutters
• Hamilton-class cutters

• CS1: unfit URL
• Webarchive template wayback links
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Commons category link is on Wikidata