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This article is about the naval vessel. For the Australian TV series, see Patrol Boat (TV Series) .


A patrol boat is a small Naval Vessel generally designed for coastal defence duties. There have been many designs for patrols boats. They are also called as Offshore Patrol Vessels . They may be operated by a nation's Navy , Coast Guard , or Police force, and may be intended for marine ( Blue Water ) and/or Estuarine or river (" Brown Water ") environments. They are commonly found engaged in various border protection roles, including anti- Smuggling , anti- Piracy , Fisheries patrols, and Immigration Law Enforcement . They are also often called upon to participate in Rescue operations.

It is a warship typically smaller in size than a Corvette and can include Fast Attack Craft , Torpedo Boats and Missile Boats , although some are as large as a Frigate . They are usually the smallest ship in a Navy 's fleet that are large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore, in the open Ocean . In larger militaries, such as in the United States Military , offshore patrol vessels usually serve in the Coast Guard , but many smaller nations navys' operate these type of ships.

During both World Wars in order to rapidly build up numbers, all sides created auxiliary patrol boats by arming Motor Boat s and sea going Fishing Boats with machine guns and Obsolescent naval weapons. Some modern patrol vessels are still based on fishing and leisure boats.

Seagoing patrol boats are typically around 30m (100 ft) in length and usually carry a single medium caliber Artillery Gun as main armament, and a variety of lighter secondary armament such as machine guns or a Close-in Weapon System . Depending on role, vessels in this class may also have more sophisticated sensors and Fire Control systems that would enable them to carry Torpedo es, Anti-ship and Surface-to-air Missile s. Most modern designs are powered by Gas Turbine arrangements such as CODAG , and speeds are generally in the 25-30 knot range. They are primarily used for patrol in a country's Exclusive Economic Zone . Common tasks are Fisheries Inspection , Anti-smuggling (usually Anti-narcotics ) duties, Illegal Immigration patrols, anti- Piracy patrols and Search And Rescue (law enforcement-type of work). The largest OPVs might also have a Flight Deck and Helicopter embarked. In times of crisis or war, these vessels are expected to support the larger vessels in the navy.

Their small size and relatively low cost make them one of the most common type of warship in the world. Almost all navies operate at least a few offshore patrol vessels, especially those with only " Green Water " capabilites. They are useful in smaller seas such as the North Sea as well as in open oceans.

Similar vessels for exclusively military duties include Torpedo Boat s and Missile Boat s. The United States Navy operated the ''Pegasus'' Class of armed hydrofoils for years, in a patrol boat role.

The River Patrol Boat (sometimes called "Riverine" and "Pibber") is a USA design of small patrol boat type designed to patrol waters of large rivers.


SPECIFIC NATIONS


Australia



Canada



Finland



Iceland



India



Ireland



Italy



Japan



Malaysia



Natherlands



New Zealand



Norway

Royal Norwegian Navy


Russia



Singapore



South Korea



United Kingdom



United States



IMAGES


  Image:IndianNavalOPVjpegDesign Of The Proposed Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel Of The "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Indian_Navy" class="copylinks">Indian Navy
  Image:Korvetten River-Klasse 7951jpgHMS Severn And HMS Mersey Are Two "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/River_class_patrol_vessel" class="copylinks">River Class offshore patrol vessels of the Royal Navy