20th November, 2011
The U.S. Coast Guard Warship donated to the Nigeria Navy will depart for Nigeria on Monday from Alameda, California, the North America Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)Â reports.
The vessel, designed as a “high endurance†cutter with a crossing range of 9,600 miles at 20 knots, was donated to Nigeria by the U.S. on May 13.
The ship also has an 80-foot flight deck, capable of handling navy helicopters, and can undertake extended patrol missions.
Its capabilities are enhanced by advanced air search and surface search radars, including the AN/SPS-73 digital surface radar system that incorporates a state-of-the-art computerised collision avoidance system.
A ceremony for the departure has been scheduled to take place at the Coast Guard Island in Alameda, where it is docked.
The ship was donated to the Nigerian Navy in recognition of the good relationship between Nigeria and the U.S.
The warship is expected to enhance the seaworthiness of the Nigerian Navy and make it well prepared to effectively police, not only Nigerian territorial waters but the entire West African coast.
The warship was commissioned to the U.S. Navy in 1968 but was later de-commissioned on March 29 after it had participated in some UN missions in enforcing maritime treaties.
NAN learnt that the ship had not departed for Nigeria because the Nigerian crew was undertaking training on it, while rehabilitation work was being carried out.
NAN also learnt that the U.S. Coast Guard ship had been renamed Nigeria Navy Thunder F90 (NNS Thunder or Aradu).