Pegasus class hydrofoil
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Pegasus-class hydrofoil |
| Builders: | Boeing Marine Systems, Renton, Washington |
| Operators: |
 United States Navy
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| Built: | 1973–1982 |
| In commission: | 1977–1993 |
| Completed: | 6 |
| Retired: | 6 |
| Preserved: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 237.2 long tons (241 t) |
| Length: | 133 ft (41 m) |
| Beam: | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 17 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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The Pegasus-class hydrofoils were a series of fast attack patrol boats employed by the U.S. Navy. They were in service from 1977 through 1993. These hydrofoils carried the designation "PHM" for "Patrol, Hydrofoil, Missile." The Pegasus class vessels were originally intended for NATO operations in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Subsequently, participation by other NATO navies, including Germany and Italy, ceased and the U.S. Navy proceeded to procure six PHMs, which were highly successful in conducting coastal operations, such as narcotics interdiction and coastal patrol, in the Caribbean basin.
In the late 1960s, NATO developed a requirement for a small, fast warship to counter large numbers of Warsaw Pact missile boats, such as the Komar and Osa class missile boats, deciding that a hydrofoil would be the best way to meet this requirement. In 1970 Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, the new Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), keen to increase the Navy's number of surface vessels in a cost-effective manner, committed the United States to the NATO program for a hydrofoil. The U.S. Navy proposed the PHM design as a NATO standard, with the program being led by the U.S. Navy, and an order placed for two prototypes in 1972. The Italian Marina Militare and the West German Bundesmarine signed letters of intent to participate in the programme, with other NATO navies, including the Royal Navy and Canadian Forces studying the project. The U.S. Navy planned to buy up to 30 PHMs, with 10 to be purchased by West Germany and four by Italy.
After Zumwalt's retirement, the Navy chose to funnel most of the money for the PHMs into larger vessels. This delayed the ongoing construction of Pegasus, and the other vessels were not started. Congress eventually forced the Navy to complete the vessels. The difficulties in project progression forced the other involved navies to abort their participation.
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