Vietnam's second Hamilton-class cutter donated by US arrives at homeport

 

CBS 8021 in Seattle, prior to its departure for Vietnam. Photo c/o US Embassy in Hanoi.



The second Hamilton-class high endurance cutter recevied by the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) from the US Government has arrived in its homeport in Vietnam.

This was announced by the US Embassy in Hanoi, mentioning that the arrival of the ship, with hull number CBS 8021 happened "earlier this month", with no specific time and date provided.

“The US government donated this ship to exemplify the strong maritime security cooperation between the two countries and to help ensure a rules-based order in the East Sea,” it said in a statement.

The ship, formerly the USCGC John Midgett (WHEC-726) of the US Coast Guard, was transferred to the VCG on August 2020 as part of US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program under a US$27 million security assistance grant from the US Government.

The ship was under maintenance since November 2020 with assistance from the US Coast Guard, in preparation for its service with the VCG.

CBS 8021 left its former homeport of Seattle, Washington in the US on 01 June 2021, after completion of outfitting of the ship and crew training.

In 2017, the US Government transferred another Hamilton-class high endurance cutter to the VCG, the former USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) under a US$24 million security grant.

Both cutters are the largest and most capable ships in the VCG service, which has expanded rapidly in response to growing maritime threats from China.

The US Government has fully lifted a ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam, which allowed for cooperation and provision of assistance to support Vietnam's maritime security programs including the transfer of ships to the Vietnamese Government.




[1] US Embassy in Hanoi
[2] Hanoi Times
[3] Naval Post


Vietnam's second Hamilton-class cutter donated by US arrives at homeport Vietnam's second Hamilton-class cutter donated by US arrives at homeport Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal on July 25, 2021 Rating: 5

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