Cyclone (PC-1)

USS Cyclone was the lead ship of the Cyclone-class patrol coastal ships, built after the US Navy selected a small combatant for littoral patrol and naval special warfare support. Bollinger Shipyards built the class around speed, shallow-water access, and the ability to work with SEAL and interdiction missions. It filled a gap below frigates and larger patrol combatants.

The Cyclone class emphasized speed, small-crew operations, and close-to-shore endurance. It could support interdiction, surveillance, and special operations craft recovery rather than blue-water fleet combat. Its weapons were useful against small boats and surface threats, but the class lacked the layered air defense and sea-keeping of larger surface combatants.

Cyclone served as the prototype and lead ship for a class that later spent much of its career in coastal security and Middle East patrol roles. The lead ship itself had a shorter and more complex service path, including Coast Guard transfer and later foreign service. The class is useful for understanding the recurring US need for small, persistent littoral combatants.