A patrol boat new to the U.S. Coast Guard but familiar to the Navy is in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound area for the next few weeks.
The cutter Zephyr, based in San Diego, is one of five patrol boats the Navy has turned over to the Coast Guard for maritime homeland defense and law enforcement.
The Zephyr’s main mission is patrolling the coast, and it’s currently in the Puget Sound area in support of Coast Guard port security operations, said Lt. Terri Kindness at Coast Guard Group Port Angeles.
It stopped by Port Angeles on Friday before heading off again, Kindness said. It will likely be in the area a few weeks.
179-foot vessel
The Navy last fall began lending the 179-foot vessel and four others to the Coast Guard for operations.
The Navy retains ownership of the boats and pays for maintenance, but they are staffed, operated and equipped by the Coast Guard.
The Navy removed Stinger missiles prior to the transfer, but two 25 mm cannons and several machine guns remain on board, Kindness said.
The Coast Guard added a Coast Guard strip, flashing blue law enforcement lights on the mast, and new computers.
The Zephyr carries a crew of two officers and 25 enlisted personnel.
