A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence duties. There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard , police force or customs and may be intended for marine (blue water ) 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. Vessels of this type include the original yacht (from Dutch/Low German jacht meaning hunting or hunt), a light, fast-sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into shallow waters.
They may be broadly classified as inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). They are warships 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 . The offshore patrol vessels 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 navies operate these type of ships.
During both World Wars in order to rapidly build up numbers, all sides created auxiliary patrol boats by arming motorboats and seagoing fishing trawlers 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 30 m (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 torpedoes , anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles .
Most modern designs are powered by gas turbine arrangements such as CODAG , and speeds are generally in the 25–30 knots (46–56 km/h; 29–35 mph) 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 " capabilities. 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 boats and missile boats . The United States Navy operated the Pegasus class of armed hydrofoils for years, in a patrol boat role. The River Patrol Boat (PBR, sometimes called "Riverine" and "Pibber") is a U.S. design of small patrol boat type designed to patrol waters of large rivers.
Iliria (Albanian Navy Brigade)Mantilla -class patrol vessel, Argentine Naval Prefecture Z-28-class patrol vessel, Argentine Naval Prefecture Attack -class patrol boat ,(Royal Australian Navy ) - 1967 to 1985Fremantle -class patrol boat, (Royal Australian Navy ) - 1979 to 2007Armidale -class patrol boat, (Royal Australian Navy) - 2005 to presentBay-class patrol boat, (Customs Marine Unit) - 1999 to present Australian Customs Vessel Triton , (Customs Marine Unit) - 2000 to present Cape-class patrol boat, (Customs Marine Unit) - Bay class replacement from 2013 Bahamas-class 60m patrol vessel, (Royal Bahamas Defence Force ) Protector-class patrol boat Durjoy -class LPCIsland-class patrol vessel Sea Dragon-class offshore patrol vesselPadma -class offshore patrol vessel (Bangladesh Navy )Meghna -class large patrol boats (Bangladesh Navy )Hainan-class submarine chaserKraljevica-class patrol boat Barkat ('Haizhui' class/Type 062) small patrol boat Ajay-class patrol boat Shaheed ('Shanghai-II') class small patrol boat Grajaú class offshore patrol vesselBracuí class patrol vessel (ex-River-class minesweeper )Imperial Marinheiro -class offshore patrol vesselPiratini -class patrol vesselJ -class patrol vesselRoraima -class river patrol vesselPedro Teixeira -class river patrol vesselMacaé -class-offshore patrol vesselAmazonas -class Corvette "BAE Offshore Patrol Vessel"P901 Castor (2014) P902 Pollux (2015) Orca class, (Royal Canadian Navy )Hero class, (Canadian Coast Guard ) Harbour security boat (PBI) - 4 newly built 80 ton class harbour security / patrol boats, and more are planned in order to take over the port security / patrol duties currently performed by the obsolete Shantou, Beihai, Huangpu, and Yulin classes gunboats , which are increasingly being converted to inshore surveying boats and range support boats. Shanghai III (Type 062-I) class gunboats - 2 Shanghai II class gunboatsShanghai I (Type 062) classes gunboats - 150+ active and at least 100 in reserve Huludao (Type 206) class gunboat - 8+ Shantou class gunboats - less than 25 (in reserve, subordinated to naval militia) Beihai class gunboats - less than 30 (in reserve, subordinated to naval militia) Huangpu class gunboats - less than 15 (in reserve, subordinated to naval militia) Yulin class gunboats - less than 40 (being transferred to logistic duties) Haixun class cutter(Type 718), China Coast Guard Patrulleros de Zona Marítima FASSMER OPV-80 class. 3 units built under license by ASMAR:
OPV-81 "Piloto Pardo" OPV-82 "Comandante Toro" OPV-83 "Marinero Fuentealba". This unit has reinforced hull for Antarctic operations. OPV-84 "Cabo Odger" under construction in ASMAR Shipyard Talcahuano Chile. 06 MICALVI Class Patrol vessels built in ASMAR. 18 Protector class Patrol crafts built under license by ASMAR. 04 DABUR Class Patrol crafts built in Israel. Diligente-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy ) Nodriza-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy ) PAF-I-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy) PAF-II-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy) PAF-III-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy) PAF-IV -class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy)Patrullera Fluvial Ligera-class patrol boat, (Colombian Navy) Riohacha-class gunboat, (Colombian Navy) Fassmer-80 class, (Colombian Navy) (Built in Colombia by COTECMAR) Knud Rasmussen -class OPV - 2 vesselsDiana -class IPV - 6 vessels *Danish WikipediaFlyvefisken -class patrol vesselThetis class OPV - 4 ships (classed as ocean patrol frigates)Beskytteren ocean patrol frigate OPV. (classed as ocean patrol frigates). Later sold to Estonia and renamed EML Admiral Pitka (A230) Agdlek -class IPV - 3 vesselsBarsø class IPV - 9 vessels *Danish WikipediaHvidbjørnen class OPV - 4 ships, classed as ocean patrol frigates. (Link in Danish) Eritrea-class 60m patrol vessel, (Eritrean Navy ) Protector-class patrol boat P400 class, (French Navy ) Floréal class, (French Navy )Flamant class, (French Navy)Espadon 50 class, (French Navy) Trident-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie ) Géranium-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie ) Jonquille-class patrol boat, (Maritime Gendarmerie) Vedette-class patrol boat , (Maritime Gendarmerie)Pétulante-class patrol craft, (Maritime Gendarmerie) Pavois-class patrol craft, (Maritime Gendarmerie) Finland Kiisla class (Formerly Finnish Border Guard , now Finnish Navy )UVL10 , an offshore patrol vessel built at STX Finland Rauma shipyard in 2014VMV class (Finnish Navy ) Bad Bramstedt class - 2002 to presentPA class - 1943 to 1945 R boats - 1929 to 1945Type 139 patrol trawler - 1956 to mid-1970sOsprey 55 -class gunboats and derivatives HSY-55 and HSY-56A Asheville -class gunboatsNasty -class Coastal Patrol Vessels, formerly torpedo boatsEsterel -class Coastal Patrol VesselsSaar 4 Stan Patrol 5509 Vosper Europatrol 250 Mk1 OPVAbeking & Rasmussen Patrol Vessels, class Dilos POB-24G Patrol Vessels, class Faiakas CB90-HCG Lambro 57 Sea Panther class large command boat Iceland ICGV Týr (Icelandic Coast Guard ) ICGV Óðinn (Icelandic Coast Guard ) ICGV Þór (Icelandic Coast Guard) ICGV Ægir (Icelandic Coast Guard) Car Nicobar class fast attack craft, Indian Navy Saryu class patrol vessel, Indian Navy Bangaram class patrol vessel, Indian Navy Sukanya class patrol vessel, Indian Navy Samar class, Indian Coast Guard Vishwast Class, Indian Coast Guard Sarojini Naidu Class, Indian Coast Guard Tara Bai class, Indian Coast Guard Priyadarshini class, Indian Coast Guard Jija Bai class, Indian Coast Guard Vikram class, Indian Coast Guard Aadesh Class, Indian Coast Guard FPB 28, Indonesian Police and Indonesian Customs, 28 meter long patrol boat made by local shipyard PT.PAL FPB 38, Indonesian Customs, 38 meter long aluminium patrol boat made by local shipyard PT.PAL FPB 57, Indonesian Navy , 57 meter long patrol boat designed by Luerssen and made by PT.PAL, ASM and heli deck equipped for some version. PC-40, Indonesian Navy, 40 meter long FRP/Aluminum patrol boat, locally made by in house Navy's workshop. PC-60 trimaran, Indonesian Navy, 63-meter-long composite material, is armed with 120 km range of anti-ship missile, made by PT Lundin industry Ireland Irish Naval Service Offshore Patrol VesselsLÉ Aisling (P23) Irish Naval Service Helicopter Patrol VesselsLÉ Eithne (P31) Irish Naval Service Coastal Patrol Vessels LÉ Orla (P41) LÉ Ciara (P42) Irish Naval Service Large Patrol Vessels LÉ Róisín (P51) LÉ Niamh (P52)Samuel Beckett-class OPVLÉ Samuel Beckett (P61) LÉ James Joyce (P62) Dabur class patrol boats - Israeli Navy Dvora class fast patrol boat - Israeli Navy Super Dvora Mk II - Israeli Navy Super Dvora Mk III - Israeli Navy Shaldag class fast patrol boats Shaldag Mk II - Israeli Navy Nachshol class patrol boats (Stingray Interceptor-2000) - Israeli Navy Zara class, (Italian Guardia di Finanza )Saettia class, (Italian Coast Guard)Diciotti - CP 902 class, (Italian Coast Guard)Cassiopea class, (Italian Marina Militare) Cassiopea II class, (Italian Marina Militare)Esploratore class, (Italian Marina Militare)Comandanti class, (Italian Marina Militare) Shikishima (Japan Coast Guard ), the largest patrol boat.Mizuho class (Japan Coast Guard ),Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck and hangar.Tsugaru class (Japan Coast Guard),Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck and hangar.Hida class (Japan Coast Guard), high-speed Large patrol Vessel with helicopter deck.Aso class (Japan Coast Guard), high-speed Large patrol Vessel.Amami class (Japan Coast Guard), medium-sized patrol VesselHayabusa -class (JMSDF,Japanese Navy), Corvette class patrol vessel by JMSDF(Navy) Fleet."Sōya" ，(Japan Coast Guard), icebreaker Skrunda class, world's first SWATH patrol boat (Latvian Naval Forces )Kedah class offshore patrol vessel, (Royal Malaysian Navy )Gagah Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Ramunia Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Nusa Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Sipadan Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Rhu Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Pengawal Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Peninjau Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Pelindung Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Semilang Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Penggalang Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Penyelamat Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Pengaman Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Kilat Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Malawali Class Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Langkawi Class Patrol Ship，Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Protector class offshore patrol vessel (Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta ) - 2002–presentDiciotti class offshore patrol vessel (Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta ) - 2005–presentP21 class inshore patrol vessel (Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta) - 2010–presentEmer class offshore patrol vessel (Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta) - 2015–presentUribe class, offshore patrol vessel (Mexican Navy ) Holzinger class, offshore patrol vessel (Mexican Navy) Sierra class, offshore patrol vessel (Mexican Navy) Durango class, offshore patrol vessel (Mexican Navy)Oaxaca class, offshore patrol vessel (Mexican Navy)Azteca class, coastal patrol boat (Mexican Navy) OPV-70 class, offshore patrol vessel (Royal Moroccan Navy )OPV-64 class, offshore patrol vessel (Royal Moroccan Navy )Netherlands Holland class offshore patrol vessels (Koninklijke Marine ) New Zealand Protector -class OPV (Royal New Zealand Navy ) (2008)Protector -class IPV (Royal New Zealand Navy ) (2008)Moa -class patrol boat (Royal New Zealand Navy)(1983–2008)Royal Norwegian Navy
Rapp -classTjeld -classStorm -classSnøgg -classHauk -classSkjold -class
Norwegian Coast Guard
Barentshav class OPV Harstad class OPV Nordkapp class OPV Nornen class Svalbard class icebreaker Philippine Navy
Mariano Alvarez classGen. Emilio Aguinaldo class Kagitingan classTomas Batillo classConrado Yap class Jose Andrada class Río Zarumilla class, Peruvian Coast Guard Rio Cañete class, Peruvian Coast Guard
Portuguese Navy
Centauro classViana do Castelo classAlbatroz classCacine classArgos classNational Republican Guard (GNR)
Ribamar classSNR-17 class patrol boats, Romanian Border Police Stefan Cel Mare patrol vessel, Romanian Border Police Stenka class patrol boat(Type 02059), Russian Navy Bogomol Class patrol boat(Type 02065), Russian Navy Mirage class patrol boat (Type 14310), Russian Navy Svetlyak class patrol boat(Type 10410)， Russian Coast Guard Ogonek class patrol boat(Type 12130), Russian Coast Guard Mangust Class patrol boat(Type 12150）, Russian Navy and Russian Coast Guard Sobol class patrol boat(Type 12200）, Russian Coast Guard Terrier class patrol boat (Type 14170), Russian Navy and Russian Coast Guard Rubin class patrol boat(Type 22460), Russian Coast Guard Fearless class , Republic of Singapore Navy PK class Interceptor Craft, Police Coast Guard 1st Generation PT class patrol Craft, Police Coast Guard (decommissioned) 2nd Generation PT class patrol Craft, Police Coast Guard (decommissioned) 3rd Generation PT class patrol Craft, Police Coast Guard 4th Generation PT class patrol Craft, Police Coast Guard PC class patrol Craft, Police Coast Guard Swift-class coastal patrol craft Slovenian patrol boat Triglav Jayasagara class (Sri Lanka Navy )Colombo class (Sri Lanka Navy )Warrior class (modified Saar 4 Open Sea Patrol Vessels) Namacurra class Chamsuri -class (Republic of Korea Navy )Gumdoksuri class patrol vessel Meteoro classDescubierta classServiola classAnaga classBarceló classToralla classConejera classChilreu classP111 class patrol boat Cabo Fradera classOcea Type FPB 98 class fast patrol boat Ocea Type FPB 72 class fast patrol boat Hugin-class (based on the Norwegian Storm-class ) - 16 ships Kaparen-class (Hugin-class modified with better subhunting capacity) - 8 ships Additionally, the Swedish Navy also operates a smaller and less capable type of patrol boat (Bevakningsbåt = "guard boat")
Typ 60 class (Decommissioned) - 17 shipsTapper class - 12 shipsThe Swedish Coast Guard operate an additional 22 patrol vessels of various sizes, go to article Coast Guard (Sweden)
Thailand Pattani class (Royal Thai Navy )River class (Royal Thai Navy)T.991 class (Royal Thai Navy) Kılıç II class, Turkish Navy Kılıç I class，Turkish Navy Yıldız class，Turkish Navy Rüzgar class，Turkish Navy Doğan class，Turkish Navy Kartal class，Turkish Navy Türk class，Turkish Navy Tuzla class，Turkish Navy KAAN 15 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command KAAN 19 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command KAAN 29 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command KAAN 33 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command SAR 33 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command SAR 35 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command 80 class，Turkish Coast Guard Command Motor Launch of World War II Harbour Defence Motor Launch of World War II River class patrol vessel Castle class patrol vessel Archer class patrol vessel Island class patrol vessel Eagle class patrol craft - US Navy (1918-1947)Cyclone class patrol ship - US Navy (1993- )Cutters of the US Coast Guard 87-foot Marine Protector class coastal patrol boat - USCG 110-foot Island class patrol boat - USCG 154-foot Sentinel class cutter- USCG 210-foot Reliance class cutter - USCG 270-foot Famous class cutter - USCG 378-foot Hamilton class cutter - USCG 418-foot Legend Class cutter - USCG 399-foot Polar class icebreaker - USCG Type TT-120 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard Type TT-200 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard Type TT-400 patrol boat, Vietnam Coast Guard DN 2000(Damen 9014 class) offshore patrol vessels, Vietnam Coast Guard 
