Patrol Craft Fast

The Patrol Craft Fast (PCF), also known as Swift Boat, were all-aluminum, 50-foot (15 m) long, shallow-draft vessels operated by the United States Navy, initially to patrol the coastal areas and later for work in the interior waterways as part of the brown-water navy to interdict Vietcong movement of arms and munitions, transport South Vietnamese forces and insert SEAL teams for counterinsurgency (COIN) operations during the Vietnam War.

PCF-32 on patrol.
Class overview
NamePCF (Patrol Craft Fast)
BuildersSwiftships
OperatorsSee Operators
Completed170
Preserved6
General characteristics
TypeRiverine patrol boat
Length
  • 50 ft (15 m) (Mk I)
  • 51 ft (16 m) (Mk II)
Beam13 ft (4.0 m)
Draft3 ft (0.91 m)
Propulsion2x General Motors 12V71"N" Detroit marine diesels
Speed32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) (Mk I)
Armament
  • 2x 0.50 caliber machine gun (top) (US-based)
  • 1x 81mm mortar (US-based)
  • 1x Mk 19 (US-based)
  • 1x NSV (Vietnamese-based)
  • 1x DsHK (Vietnamese-based)
  • 1x AGS-17 (Vietnamese-based)
ArmorQuarter inch thick aluminum hull
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