County-class patrol vessel facts for kids
Two of the Jamaican Coast Guard patrol vessels
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Quick facts for kids Class overview |
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| Builders: | Damen Group |
| Operators: | Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard |
| Built: | 2005–2006 |
| In commission: | 2005 – present |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Active: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessel |
| Length | 42.8 m (140 ft 5 in) |
| Speed | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
| Complement | 17 |
The County class is a class of offshore patrol vessels built for the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard (JDF). Based on the Dutch Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessel, the first vessel entered service in 2005. Three were originally purchased, but only one remains in service with the JDF. In 2017, an additional two vessels were purchased and both remain in service as of 2023. The Jamaican vessels are equipped with a stern launching ramp, capable of deploying and retrieving a small jet boat, for rescue or pursuit. The vessels' bridge electronics were supplied by Alphatron Marine.
Ships in class
The three original vessels of the County class are Cornwall (2005), Middlesex (2005), and Surrey. They were delivered in 2005 and 2006. Two additional ships were ordered in 2016 and commissioned the next year, also with the names Cornwall (2016) and Middlesex (2017).
| Name | Ship Builder | Commissioned | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMJS Cornwall (2005) | Damen Shipyard | October 27, 2005 | In service with Nicaraguan Navy | |
| HMJS Middlesex (2005) | April 7, 2006 | In service with SVG Coast Guard | ||
| HMJS Surrey | June 26, 2007 | In service with JDF Coast Guard | ||
| HMJS Cornwall (2016) | January 2017 | In service with JDF Coast Guard | ||
| HMJS Middlesex (2017) | January 2017 | In service with JDF Coast Guard |
Service history
In 2012 the Jamaican Fire Brigade had only one of its four fireboats operational, and had requested that the County-class patrol vessels help fill in until its more modern replacement vessels were delivered.
In 2017 Nicaragua purchased the original Cornwall and Middlesex. In 2019, Middlesex was purchased from the Nicaraguan Navy by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard and renamed Captain Hugh Mulzac.
