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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
COASTAL FORCES
"RPC" river patrol craft (C13371) (1965 - 1966)


Photo



Vietnamese RPC 1970

Ships


Names Builders Commissioned Losses Transfers Discarding

C13371-13381

C13456-13479

Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay: C13371-13381

Birchfield SB, Tacoma: C13456-13479

1965: C13371-13381

1965-1966: C13456-13479

?

late 1960s, South Vietnam: all

none



Technical data


Displacement standard, t 
Displacement full, t13
Length, m

10.9

Breadth, m3.25
Draught, m1.14
No of shafts2
Machinery2 diesels
Power, h. p.450
Max speed, kts15
Fuel, tdiesel oil
Endurance, nm(kts) 
Armament1 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2 x 1 - 7.6/90
Military load12 troops
Electronic equipmentnone
Complement6


Graphics


Vietnamese RPC 1970
Vietnamese RPC 1970


Project history

The RPC was the first craft built specifically for riverine warfare by the US Navy. It began with a Thai request for modified PT boats; they received six overhauled LCVPs while a better design was evolved. A preliminary design was prepared in mid-1961. Ultimately the RPC was based loosely on a projected (but unbuilt) riverine LCVP called the RCVP. It was not particularly successful; the RPC was criticised as noisy, vulnerable (its hull form tended to attract mines), slow, and underarmed. In all, 36 were built under the FY64 programme.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

All were initially transferred to Vietnam, but six were transferred to Thailand in March 1967.

© Ivan Gogin, 2015