Minor cold war & Modern Navies 2

What is the definition of a “minor navy” ?
Surely there is a “top tier”, which is most often assimilated to a “blue water navy”. And it is most often assorted with a true aircraft carrier (not an assault ship), which gave us a limited club (USN, and Russian Navy, British, French, Italian and Spanish Navies, and in Asia the PLAN, JSDMF, Indian and Thai Navies). Then came “regional navies” sometimes flagged as “green water” navies, which in high tier have guided missile destroyers and assault ships (like Turkey) while the Bundesmarine have not, and they could still make a projection of power due to large ships with logistic for oceanic operations such as anti-piracy missions in the Red Sea. And this is the lower tier, which could defend its EEZ and do limited projection of powers nearby but not much esle, which is the object of the present chapter.

And there is at the bottom what most calls a “brown water” navy. The name suggest essentially a riverine fleet. It’s especially true of the country had still a limited coastal area but restricted budget and/or is landlocked and only has a complement to just a “police force” for its riverine traffic. This is true also for large lakes, like the Tanganyka in Africa. Still between the low tier regional naval power to the small riverine force, enters most nations on the planet. They are classed by alphabetical order. It must be said that 44 countries in the world (on 195 recoignised ones worldwide) are truly landlocked. Let’s cite Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, in Europe alone, but also Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, Slovakia, South Ossetia, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Transnistria, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In population, 475,818,737 so 6% roughly of the world’s population, showing superbly that the bulk of humanity lives close to the sea. Many of these only have a token riverine police force or nothing at all, even with a small river going through, nike Nepal. These are absent of the list but could be added next year.

PART II: Honduras to Lithuania

History of the Fuerza Naval de Honduras

The Armed Forces of Honduras were originally created through article 44 as part of the country’s First Constitution in 1825, December 11, divided into battalions between seven departments and under French military doctrine. In 1831, the Military School was created and local arms production setup. Between 1842 and 1876 a new uniform emerged, soon at war in 1854.

In 1860, the Guardiola administration, gave order to mobilize 400 army men and 220 more were transferred on the schooner “Correo Nacional” of the “Honduran navy” guarded by the British gunboat “Icarus” commanded by Admiral Sir Nowell in order to repel the filibuster William Walker who reinforced himself in New Orleans. After a battle that took place near the Tinto y Negro River, Walker was ambushed, captured on September 3, tried and executed by firing squad on September 12 of that year (1860.
On September 28, 1865, during the presidency of Captain General José María Medina, the Military Navy of Honduras was established, with President Medina himself boarding the schooner Colibrí that day. This first attempt to organize a Naval Force with a proper regulation met soon issues of cost as was deemed unsustainable.

For memory, Honduras is located on the land bridge between the north and souther continents, at the foot of the “horn” made by Belize and Guatemala. It is largely a Caribbean Nation due to its largest coast by far extending west to east from Puerto Cortes to Puerto Lempira. It’s greatest port was and is now La Ceiba. There is a small Pacific enclave in the south, cornered between El Salvador and Nicaragua, with the Port of San Lorenzo.

Several attempts to reactivate the idea of a Navy started with Doctor Policarpo Bonilla, who ordered the construction of the steamship Tatumbla in Kiel by November 22, 1895, to receive army guns. In 1896, General Manuel Bonilla built the private yacht “Hornet”. Later Dr. Bonilla and General Don Tiburcio Carias Andino ordered the construction of more steamers, Búfalo and El Tigre. But the political life of the country at large was unstable, riddle with coups and interference of the military in internal affairs. The navy was neglected. And to be clear, there is no record in Conway’s for the WWI book, only a small mentiuon for 1860-1905 and a bigger one in the 1947-95 volume.

Honduran Navy in WWI, WW2

In 1905 Honduras, is one of the larger republics (1905 official census 500,136) in Central America with an area of 43,277 square miles. The country has two coasts — Pacific and Caribbean Sea (63 miles and 375 miles). In the early years of the twentieth century she was closely associated with and her foreign trade was mainly with the USA. US Marines landed in January 1912 to protect American property. The main port was and is Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean and smaller ones Trujillo, Omoa and Amapala on the Gulf of Fonseca (Pacific). Amapala’s surrender on 11 April 1907 had virtually ended the war with Nicaragua since the cruiser USS Chicago gave refuge to the defeated Honduran President Manuel Borilla, landed marines and arranged terms with the victors. There was a small army of 500 soldiers which was supported in emergency by 20,000 militia. The Navy was still really symbolic with just a single 13t steam (22 ihp) launch, “22 Februar”, launched on 24 December 1897. From 1919 the Navy was “expanded” to the following:
-200-ton gunboat “Tatumbla” (2 small guns, 44 crew, 12kts)
-24—ton “Liberia”, ex-Liberian revenue cutter Mesurado, 85ft x 12ft x 4ft 6in, one Nordenfelt gun, one MG, 120hp engine working with 500 gal. paraffin, 12-14kts.
There is no record at all for the interwar of any addition.

Honduras had good diplomatic relations with Germany since the end of the 19th century and German citizens founded companies, sugar mills and coffee plantations under the Migration Law. As the Second World War broke out, many young German-Hondurans enlisted back into the German Army and Navy. At the same time, German U-Boat went up to dock on the Honduran coast and refuel food.​
President Tiburcio Carías Andino broke relations with Germany however after strong pressures from the US embassy, especially after Pearl Harbor. So by December 8, 1941, Honduras declared war on Japan and four days later with Germany and Italy. It was justified to save face in press by the destruction by U-Boats of merchant ships, notably from Honduran banana companies. Comayagua was the first torpedoed in 1942, followed by Amapala on May 16, 1942. On June 7, ship Castilla was sunk and then Baja California, which caused some 200 Honduran citizens losses.
Carias Andino sent pilot officers, soldiers and sailors to serve mostly in the US Navy. Honduran sailors on November 10, 1942 were noted for their bravery. When conducting the freighter “Contessa” into the port of Lyautey (French Morocco) full of gasoline and ammunition for allied troops she was taken under enemy fire, and was able to repel it. According to reports and statements of survivors, the armed ship claimed 15 Italian aircraft. Other fought in the Pacific, and frequently served as gunners on US ships, especially AA guns.

Honduran Navy in the cold war

Honduras post-WW2 was one of the largest Central American republics (43,277 square miles) but also the poorest. Her Caribbean coastline did not changed much, neither additions to its “navy”.

Under the administration of Dr. General Juan Manuel Gálvez on November 8, 1950, Regulations on Insignia and Uniforms of the Navy were issued. By April 20, 1964, the first two officers were assigned to the Navy, Erin O’Connor Bain and Humberto Regalado Hernández plus fourteen troops coming from the third Infantry Battalion. They were all sent to attend studies in Yorktown, at the Officer Training Center reserve of the Coast Guard. Sub Lieutenant Regalado were later posted for practice at the Naval Base of Panama, trained by local technicians with US assistance, thus forming the “First Boat Detachment” which became essential to allow a Naval Force to be created in 1976. Lieutenant Colonel Erin O’Connor Bain became its Commander.

By 1964, the US government donated two Mark-IV type boats (40 feet CPV) registered as OLA and ARO (General Oswaldo López Arellano, Andrés Ramírez Ortega). In short, the navy was officially reborn in 1976 by a presidential agreement of August 14, whose purpose was the protection of the national marine territory, in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its tasks were defined at the time to be able to Execute Naval Operations in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Fonseca (Pacific Ocean) in order to safeguard national maritime interests.
Specializations includes anti-narcotics via sea, interception of unidentified vessels and protecting sovereignty by sea. Personel amounted to 4,000 approximately recently between personel at sea and inland (specialists, maintenance, administrative).
In 1977; so one year after its creation, this small Naval Force acquired three units. The 105 feet Guaymuras and the 65 ft La Patuca and Ulua.
Like neighbouring central american republics in the cold war, political situation was tense, and what happened in the 1980s in El Salvador and Nicaragua led Honduras to rearm massively with US assistance, including its reborn navy. Honduras in 1982 emerged from a long spell of military government during which time repressive action was taken by military leaders against agricultural unions; discontent was due to the slow pace with which agrarian reform was taking place.

Author’s rendition of the Damen Stan Patrol 4027 of the Honduran Guardas Costas.

In 1988 the Punta Caxinas was its first amphibious ship (149 feet, capacity 100 tons) and a few years later, the first Peterson Mk-III model patrol boat was acquired (65 ft, 82 tons, powered by three GM 8V71T1 diesels for 26 knots, range 450 miles full speed). In 2013, two Damen Stan 4207 ships (FNH 1401 and 1402) were also acquired, one in September and the other in November, to make the the Honduran navy one of the most modern in the region.

The U.S. government donated the “Río Aguán” FNH-8502 patrol boat to the Honduran Secretariat of National Defense, on July 9, 2021. (Photo: Honduran Secretariat of National Defense)

In 1982 a civilian government led by Roberto Suazo Cordora came into power. Honduras, like many Latin American countries, has experienced border disputes with all the countries adjacent to her. In 1969 the so-called ‘Soccer War’ took place with El Salvador, occasioned by disagreements over a football match. The dispute continued intermittently until 1976 when both countries agreed to talks. Honduras found herself the thoroughfare for arms supplies to El Salvadorian guerrillas coming from Nicaragua and consequently has been exposed to pressure from the US government in an effort to reduce these supplies of arms. The terrorist violence experienced by Honduras’ neighbours now appears to be establishing itself in Honduras; in 1982 measures were taken by the military against terrorist groups.
The republic’s Coast Guard was created abnd expanded with US helpe for its basic maritime security needs, with US help. This force employed in the 1990s 900 men, a percentage of whom are carrying out the 24 months’ national service. The main base is at Puerto Cortes on the Caribbean coast.

Creative commons Poster of the Honduran Navy today.

List (Cold War)

-3x ‘Swift’ type 105ft class patrol boats: Guaymuras (FN 1051), Honduras (FN 1052), Hibures (FN 1053).
Built by Swiftships, Morgan City, Louisiana, in service April 1977 (FN 1051) and March 1980 the latter units.
Specs:
103t, 32kts, 2 shafts, 2 MTU diesels, 17 crew. Armament !—20mm Gatling, 2 -12.7mm, or 6-20mm (2×3). Extant 1995.

1x US 85ft patrol boat (commercial cruiser type): Chamelecon (EN 8502). Built by Swiftships, Louisiana, in service date unknown.
Specs: 50t, 23kts, 2 shafts, 2 GM diesels, 10 crew. Armament 1-20mm, 2—12.7mm. Extant 1995.

5x US 65ft commercial cruiser type patrol boats: Aguan (ex-Gral, FN 6501), Goascoran, ex-¥ T Cabanas (FN 6502), Petula FN 6503), Ulua (FN 6504), Chuluteca (FN 6505).
Built by Swiftships, Morgan City, Louisiana. In service December 1973 (FN 6501), January 1974 (FN 6502), 1980 remainder.
Specs:
33t, 25kts, 3 shafts, 3 GM diesels, armed with 2-12.7mm MG, 5 crew.
Haiti ordered FN 6501 and FN 6502 originally, transferred to Honduras 1977, three more fitted with 3 MTU diesels (36kts), armed with 120mm, 2—12.7mm. Extant 1995.

2x inshore patrol craft: FN 2501 and FN 2502. Built by Ampela Marine, Honduras, entered service 1981-82.
Specs:
3t, 24kts, 25ft x 8ft 10in x lft 4in (7.6m x 2.7m x 0.4m), 1 Chrysler diesel, waterjet drive, armed with 1-12.7mm MG, 1—7.62mm MG, 4 crew. Now stricken.

2x Guardian coastal patrol craft: Copan (FNH 106), Tegucigalpa (FNH 107). Delivered by Lantana Boatyard 1983, 1986
Specs: 94t, 2070bhp = 30kts, 1—20mm Gatling, 3-20mm Hispano Suiza (1×3), 2-12.7mm). Extant 1995.

12x Piranha class riverine patrol craft: Numbered only, delivered 1986—90.

1x landing craft (LCU): Punta Caxinas (FNH 1491). Delivered 1988 by Lantana Boatyard (625t full load, 14kts), extant 1995.

6x ex-fishing boats: FN 7501, FN 7502, FN 7503, FN 7504, FN 7505, FN 7506. Extant 1995.

Bases and Organization:

The Honduran navy possess today four naval bases (“Base Naval”):
-Puerto Cortés: Main repair/logistics base, Caribbean.
-Puerto Castilla: Main operating, patrol boats, Caribbean.
-Amapala: Main operating base, for coastal patrol craft, north end, Pacific coast.
-Caratasca (new) well placed to intercept drug trafficking boats
-1st. Marine Infantry Battalion at La Ceiba
-Honduras Naval Academy, for officers, La Ceiba
-Naval Training Center: NCO and Sailor training facility.
-Possible air support from either Hernan Acosta Mejia AB (Tegucigalpa), Soto Cano AB (Comayagua), Armando Escalon Espinal AB (La Lima, Cortés), and Hector Caraccioli Moncada, La Ceiba.

Sa’ar 62 type General Cabañas (flagship)

List (today)

The Navy is tasked of coastal and riverine security and stil boasts some 71 patrol boats, interceptors and landing craft units, which makes its a sizeable green water fleet.
1x Sa’ar 62-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV): FNH-2021 General Trinidad Cabañas (62 (204 feet)) OPV-62M from December 2019
2x Damen Stan Patrol Boats: FNH-1401 Lempira, FNH-1402 General Francisco Morazán (42.8m (140 feet) Dutch CPV (Coastal patrol vessel)
3x LANTANA BOATYARD Guardian CPVs: FNH-1071 Tegucigalpa, FNH-1072 Copán, FNH-1073. US built (32.3m or 107 feet)
3x SWIFTSHIPS CPVs: FNH-1051 Guaymuras, FNH-1052 Honduras, FNH-1053 Hibueras (US built 32m/ 105ft)
1x IAI Dabur Type CPV: FNH-8501 Chamelecón (26 m/85 ft)
5x SWIFTSHIPS CPV FNH 6501-05 Nacaome, Goascorán, Patuca, Ulúa, Choluteca (US built 20m/65 feet)
10x BOSTON WHALER Interceptors BW370, Guardian class 1102+ UHS
6x DAMEN Interceptors 1102 UHS: FNH-3601 to FNH-3606
2x SAFE BOATS 35MMI Multi Misión Interceptor (Colombia)
2x Interceptor boat 35 MMI FNH-3501-2
25x EDUARDOÑO Patrullero 320: (Colombia) FNH-3201 to FNH-3225
8x NAPCO Piraña PBs; Riverine, US built Ops boats.
1x LANTANA BOATYARD Landing Craft Coastal transport: FNH-1491 Punta Caxinas
1x COTECMAR BAL-C Short Range Logistic Support Ship (Colombia), Short Range Logistic: BAL-C FNH-1611 Gracias a Dios
3x SWIFTSHIPS LCM-8 Landing Craft Unit (US): FNH-7301 Warunta, Rio Coco, unnamed.

Damen Stan Patrol 4207 FNH Lempira

Sources

Conway’s all the world’s fighting ships 1905-1921 p416, 1947-1995.
defensa.com/ guardacostas
cimcon.armada.mil.co/
en.topwar.ru/
elheraldo.hn/honduras
articulo66.com/ nicaragua-denuncia-invasion-maritima-el-salvador/
proceso.hn
infodefensa.com
dialogo-americas.com
laprensa.hn/
defensa.com/ asi-son-patrulleras-…
shipbuildinghistory.com /lantana.htm
defensa.com/ avanza-israel-construccion-opv-62
es.wikipedia.org Fuerza_Naval_de_Honduras
en.wikipedia.org Armed_Forces_of_Honduras

History

Iceland had been inhabited by Scandinavian people dating back the sagas in the wake of the mythical discoveries of so called Greenland, Vinland and Helluland. In 870s it was a free Norwegian colony until it became part of the realm of the Norwegian King, and its military defences of Iceland rested on multiple chieftains (Goðar) and their village followers. The colony grew and in the 13th cent. major feuds (the Age of the Sturlungs) in the 13th century followed the construction of some 21 fortresses. Amphibious operations were remained common in the Westfjords, with the largest sea battle called Flóabardagi, seeing only a few dozen ships going into a brawl in Húnaflói bay. Fast forward and before the Napoloenic era, Iceland was defended by a few hundred militiamen in the southwest of Iceland armed with old muskets and halberds. English raiders arrived in 1808, sank and capture the bulk of the Danish-Norwegian Navy, in the Battle of Copenhagen.
There was an independence movement from Denmark rule in 1855-57. In 1918, Iceland regained sovereignty, appearing as a separate kingdom under the Danish king and first established a small Coast Guard.

PBY-5As returning to Reykyavik NAS in 1942
Then, close to the Second World War, the government expanded the Icelandic National Police (Ríkislögreglan) with its reserves creating a small militia army under command of former Chief Commissioner Agnar Kofoed Hansen, previously trained in the Danish Army, procuring Weapons and uniforms and trained hard near Laugarvatn. The army counted 60 officers when UK launched the invasion of Iceland on 10 May 1940 as a preemptive measure to void German capture of this very strategic island in the north Atlantic.
In mid-1941 British troops were needed elsewhere and the United States took over occupation duties for the same reasons, but started to negociate the installation of a base and airfield for patrol bombers in order to monitor this “dark spot” in ASW coverage of the mid-Atlantic. It was not with Iceland’s approval again, but the country remained neutral.

This stationing of US forces remained well after the war, and was solidified through NATO in the “Agreed Minute”. In 1949 Iceland became a founding member of NATO, being the linchpin of the organization by essence due to its location and the very name of the organization. It was the new bastion of noerthern defences against Soviet submarine incursions. But it remained the sole member without a standing army. There was an Expansion of forces of the Icelandic Coast Guard, which aside its role withing NATO was more acute of defending its own territorial waters, notably against British fishing vessels, sometimes protected by the Royal Navy (The “Cod Wars”), which were militarised interstate disputes.

Keflavik NAS aerial view in 1982.

The Iceland Defense Force became a military command of the United States Armed Forces, from 1951 to 2006, created at the request of NATO in which the US would defend Iceland provided the latter did nit created its own army and concentrated in its coast guard only, procured and operated in a fullly independent way.
There was no Icelandic air force either and the U.S. Air Force maintained 4-6 interceptor at NAS Keflavik until 30 September 2006. From May 2008, NATO made rotations there as part of Icelandic Air Policing mission. Relations with UK always had been tense, though.
the Icelandic Defence Agency (Varnarmálastofnun Íslands) was founded in 2008 under the Minister for Foreign Affairs, overseeing operations at the Naval Air Station Keflavik, and closed in 2011 after the 2008 economic crisis. The Icelandic Coast Guard is today still the only standing military organization of the country.

The Icelandic Coast Guard

The research vessel Thor in 1928.
From its sovereignty in 1918, the Icelandic Coast Guard was created from a single former Danish research vessel armed with a 57 mm cannon. It was tasked of protecting the country’s rich and vital fishing areas. It was also tasked of research, and SAR services for the fishing fleet. ICGV Þór (1926) was the first patrol ship of the Icelandic Coast Guard, named after the nordic mythology god and buit by Edwards Brothers at North Shields, 1899 as a steam trawler for the Danish-Icelandic trade and fishing association. She was based in Geirseyri and later became a research ship for Denmark, purchased in 1920 by Björgunarfélag Vestmannaeyja for fishing control and rescue. It was definitely took over by the Icelandic government in 1926 as the starte of a Coast Guard and armed with two 57 mm cannons, later one 47 mm cannon. She ran aground at Húnaflói in a storm on 21 December 1929 and was declared lost.
Next came ICGV Óðinn, another Patrol vessel from 1926 until 1936. She served until sold to Sweden in 1936.

In WW2 the Icelandic coast guard comprised the following:
-ICGV Ægir (I) Patrol vessel (1929) purchased in July and used for coastal patrol, rescue and research, sold for scrap 1968. She was built in Burmeister & Wain, Denmark, launched 25 April 1929 for Iceland, powered by a B&W diesel engine to 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). She had a single 47 mm gun. Ægir was the sister ship of the Danish research vessel Dana, commissioned in July 1929, she took part in the first of the Cod Wars, tasked for patrols, search and rescue, fishery inspections, research and nautical survey, replaced by the new Ægir in 1968.
The second vessel of the Icelandic navy in WW2 was ICGV Þór (II), acquired in 1930 but only active until 1939. She had been built in Stettin, Germany in 1922 as “Senator Schäfer” and arrived in 1930. She became a transport ship until sold to England in 1946 and was stranded in Scotland in 1950, declared a total loss.

The Icelandic naval force consisted entirely of fishery protection vessels, converted from merchant types and was set up about 1930. The vessels taken into service up to 1946 were Esja (1939, 1347t gross); the armed trawlers Aegir (1929, w497t gross) and Thor (ex-German Senator Shafer purchased 1930, built 1922, 226t gross) both with one 57mm gun; the MFV Odinn (1938, 72t gross) armed with one 47mm gun; and the Sudin (ex-Cambria, ex-Gotha, 1895, 811t gross). Thor and Sudin were discarded in the 1940s, the Esja in the 1950s and the Aegir and Odinn (renamed Gauter c1959) in the 1960s.

Icelandic coast guards ships in 1982
Although a member of NATO, Iceland has no navy. However, there is a coast guard service which is mainly employed in fishery protection and offshore patrol duties. Although its patrol craft were regularly referred to as ‘gunboats’ during the 1975-76 ‘Cod War’ with the UK, they have only nominal armament (originally 1—57mm gun: vessels in service in 1990 were rearmed with 140mm Bofors). Aegir, 1929, 507t, 14kts, BU 1968 Saebjorg, 1937, 98t, 10kts, stricken Aug 1965 Gautur (ex-Odinn), 1938, 72t, 11kts, stricken 1.1.63 Hermadur, 1947, 208t, 13kts, foundered 17.7.59 Maria Julia, 1950, 138t, 11.5kts, sold 1969 Thor*, 1951, 920t, 17kts, stricken Albert, 1956, 200t, 12kts, stricken Odinn*, 1959, 1000t, 18kts, extant 1995 Arvakur, 1962, 716t, 12kts, stricken Aegir*, 1968, 1150t, 19kts, extant 1995 Baldur, 1974, 740t, 15kts, stricken Tyr*, 1974, 1150t, 19kts, extant 1995 * have sonar, helicopter deck and hangar.

In 1952, 1958, 1972, and 1975, Iceland’s EEZ as expanded gradually to 4, 12, 50, and 200 nautical miles, encroaching on claimed fishery areas of the United Kingdom, leading to the “Cod Wars”. The Icelandic Coast Guard and Royal Navy were at standoff continuously from there, no shot was ever fired but there were tense moments. The Coast Guard today possess four large OPVs and a few aircraft and helicopters. They also took their share with peacekeeping operations abroad. The Coast Guard has four vessels and four aircraft (one fixed wing and three helicopters) at their disposal.

Cold War Icelandic Ships

CGV Gautur: Patrol vessel (1938-1964) Built in 1938 in Akureyri.
Baldur class: Fast patrol boats (1945): Baldur, Njörður, Bragi: Built for the Turkish Navy in 1943, expropriated by UK, bought early in 1946 and returned because due to rough seas inabilities.
ICGV Sæbjörg: Patrol and rescue ship built 1947 used by the National Life-saving Association of Iceland (NLSA), decommissioned 1960s.
ICGV María Júlía: Patrol, research and rescue vessel (1950) privately financed, Joint ownership by ICG-NLSA, decommissioned late 1960s.
ICGV Þór (III): 1951 OPV, British built, flagship, seeing all three Cod Wars. Sold 1982.
ICGV Albert: OPV/SAR purchased 1956, owned by now ICE-SAR. Decommissioned 1978.
ICGV Óðinn (III): OPV (1960). Decommissioned in 2006, museum ship.
Ægir class (1968): Danish-built OPV with ICGV Týr (II). flagship ICG, last two Cod Wars. Decommissioned 2020 unlike ICGV Týr (II) 1974-2021.
ICGV Árvakur: Lighthouse tender/OPV (1969) built in Holland 1962 for the Department of Lighthouses, decom., sold 1988.
ICGV Týr: Armed whaler (1972, Hvalur 9) borrowed for the second Cod War and called “Moby Dick” by the RN, decom. 1973.
ICGV Baldur (II): Armed trawler (1975-1977) for the third Cod Wars. She collided with, and knocked out three British frigates during the conflict.
ICGV Ver: Armed trawler (1976-1976) Built in Poland for Krossvík hf. in Akranes. Last Cod War.

The “cod war”

HMS Scylla rammed by Odinn
Another case of tensions within NATO (after the Turko-Greek tensions) is the case of fishery area claims made between UK and Iceland, both having superposed EEZ. The Cod Wars were a series of confrontations between the United Kingdom and Iceland in the mid-20th century, primarily over fishing rights in the North Atlantic. These conflicts occurred in three main phases: 1958-1961, 1972-1973, and 1975-1976. The disputes were largely non-violent but involved various naval maneuvers and incidents of ramming and cutting fishing nets. Here’s an overview of each phase:
First Cod War (1958-1961):
The first conflict began after Iceland unilaterally extended its fishing limits from 4 to 12 nautical miles in 1958, aiming to protect its fish stocks from overfishing. The UK, whose trawlers fished in the area, refused to recognize the new limits and continued fishing. There were several confrontations at sea, including instances of ramming between Icelandic patrol vessels and British trawlers. The Royal Navy was involved to protect British trawlers. The conflict ended in 1961 with an agreement that allowed British trawlers limited access to the disputed waters.

The Second Cod War (1972-1973) started when Iceland further extended its fishing limits to 50 nautical miles in 1972. The UK again refused to recognize the new limits, leading to another round of confrontations. More serious clashes occurred, with Icelandic patrol boats cutting the nets of British trawlers. The Royal Navy was again deployed to protect the trawlers. The conflict ended with a temporary agreement, where the UK recognized Iceland’s 50-mile limit in exchange for limited fishing rights within the zone.

The Third Cod War (1975-1976) started when Iceland extended its fishing limits to 200 nautical miles in 1975, following the global trend towards extended economic zones.
The UK resisted this move, leading to the most intense of the Cod Wars. This phase saw frequent confrontations, including ramming incidents and the use of trawler wire cutters by Icelandic vessels. Iceland threatened to close a key NATO base if its demands were not met, leveraging its strategic importance during the Cold War. The UK eventually conceded, recognizing the 200-mile limit, and Iceland agreed to allow a limited number of British trawlers to fish in the area for a transitional period.

The Cod Wars significantly reduced British access to fishing grounds around Iceland, impacting the UK fishing industry. These contributed to the broader acceptance of 200-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in international maritime law, which were later formalized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Despite the confrontations, the UK and Iceland maintained overall peaceful diplomatic relations, and the disputes were resolved without significant loss of life or major escalation.

Today’s Icelandic coast guard

The Coast Guard’s fleet consists of three patrol vessels and one monitoring and measurement vessel. Þór is the largest and newest ship in the fleet, and flagship. The fleet includes the sister ships V/s Týr and V/s Ægir, built by Ålborg Værft a/s in Denmark. All has the latest navigation and electronic communication systems with powerful light boats on board to transport personnel between ships as well as other tasks. There are helipads on Ægi og Tý, unable however to support the heavy Super Puma helicopters alshough they can resupply them with a pump fuel, provided they hover over the ships.
M/s Baldur was built by Vélsmiðja Seyðisfjörður in 1991, used for monitoring the continental shald, taking sea measurements and otehr tasks. On board is a dinghy equipped for marine measurements in shallow water.

ICGV Freyja ()

NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN (April 4, 2022) – The Icelandic off-shore patrol vessel ICGV Freyja sails with Allied units in the North Atlantic Ocean in support of exercise Northern Viking 22, April 4, 2022. Northern Viking 22 strengthens interoperability and force readiness between the U.S., Iceland and allied nations, enabling multi-domain command and control of joint and coalition forces in the defense of Iceland and Sea lines of Communication in the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom (GIUK) gap. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jesse Schwab)
Built in South Korea as OPV, Named after the goddess Freyja. Built at SeKwang, South Korea, launched 29 April 2009, acquired 2021.
Specs:
4,566 GT, 85,8 x 19,9 x 8,8m, Bergen Diesel ME, 2×6000 kW 17 knots, 2x Waterjet engine FRC, crew 18. Unarmed.

ICGV Þór (2011)

Ex-Chilean OPV, Named after the god Thor. Flagship. Rolls-Royce Marine AS “UT 512 L” type offshore patrol vessel. Ordered 4 March 2005. Construted at ASMAR Naval Shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile, on 16 October 2007.
Specs:
4,049 GT, 93.80 x 16/30 x 5.80 m (307.7 x 52/98 x 19 ft), 2 × 4,500 kW Rolls-Royce Bergen diesel, 2 × 450 kW bow tunnel thrusters, 883 kW retractable azimuth thruster, 20.1 knots.
Equipped with 2 MOB boats, Helicopter in-flight refuelling capabilities (HIFR), Bollard pull: 120 t (132.3 st)
Armed with one Bofors 40 mm gun, 2 × 12.7 mm HMGs, S-band radar, 2× X-band radars and Synthetic aperture sonar. crew 48.

ICGV Baldur

OPV Named after the god Baldr, also performs hydrographic survey duties. Built by Vélsmiðja Seyðisfjarðar, Iceland in 1991, used for hydrographic surveying, patrol, law enforcement, exercises. Shje disvoverted in 2002 a Northrop N-3PB lying upside down at the depth of around 11 meters in Skerjafjörður, close to Reykjavík.
Specs:
21.3 x 5.2 x 1.8m (69 ft 11 in x 17 ft 1 in x 5 ft 11 in). Speed 12 knots, crew 4-8, unarmed.

ICGV Óðinn

Used for Special operations. The action boat Óðinn is a covered hard-bottom tube boat that, among other things, is used by LHG’s special operations division but also for surveillance and exercises. No more infos.

Icelandic Naval Aviation

The Aviation Department of the Coast Guard consists of three helicopters and one airplane. The aircraft is of the type De-Havilland DHC-8-Q314, TF-SIF(4). It arrived in Iceland in the summer of 2009. The Coast Guard operates three Airbus H225 helicopters leased from Knut Axel Ugland Holding, designated TF-EIR, TF-GRO and TF-GNA. They are very well equipped for search and rescue operations.

Src

Official
1 2 3 4
lhg.is/um-okkur/taekjakostur/loftfor/
lhg.is/um-okkur/sagan/sagan
timarit.is/1 timarit.is/2
commons.wikimedia.org/ Icelandic_Coast_Guard
en.wikipedia.org Icelandic_Coast_Guard
is.wikipedia.org/