The US builds 36 instead of 12 Hamilton class

[uk 75]

Only recently retired from the US Coastguard the Hamilton class cutter served from the 60s onward as a very useful corvette class for the US.

Hamilton-class cutter - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Only 12 of these ships were built but had the original 36 been built I am sure the US would have found them very useful in a variety of roles.

As a platform for a helicopter and fitted with a gun mounting there was room for later additions like a CIWS and Harpoon launcher.

As warbuilt escorts were taken out of service the US found it difficult to build cheap replacements. The Hamiltons offered one option.

 

[isayyo2]

They do seem like the ideal FRAM Destroyer replacement @uk 75

If the USN wasn't knee deep with the Garcia and Knox class "Ocean Escorts" then perhaps a modification of the Hamilton could be considered. I wonder if there's a Norman Friedman book on post-war escorts?

 

[TomS]

They do seem like the ideal FRAM Destroyer replacement @uk 75

If the USN wasn't knee deep with the Garcia and Knox class "Ocean Escorts" then perhaps a modification of the Hamilton could be considered. I wonder if there's a Norman Friedman book on post-war escorts?

US Destroyers covers destroyer escorts/frigates as well. But nothing really on the Coast Guard cutters. There's a one-line mention of the Hamilton in the section on the evolution of the PF-109/FFG-7, basically just noting that the Hamilton was looked at alongside a modernized Knox but the Navy decided a new design would be no harder than adapting either of the existing ones. Thus, the FFG-7, which was essentially the USN's FRAM replacement.

 

[uk 75]

Thank you for the Friedman check. My copy is buried in one of far too many book boxes. I have real problems keeping too many books!
The USN made good use of the 12 Hamiltons as general purpose frigates. With the Knox and older DEs shipping ASROC and the FFG7 armed with Standard MR they were handy in lower threat environments.
As you say there seems to be no source on Coastguard vessels.

 

[TomS]

Thank you for the Friedman check. My copy is buried in one of far too many book boxes. I have real problems keeping too many books!

Too many books? No such thing

 

[Scott Kenny]

Too many books? No such thing

Only when you have to move.

 

[TomS]

Only when you have to move.

Which is why I'm never moving again.