PCE-842-class patrol craft

The Admirable class had been developed as a smaller minesweeper than the Raven-class and Auk-class minesweepers, which would be cheaper and easier to build, while still having good seakeeping capabilities in high seas. An escort derivative of the new design was proposed for supply under the Lend-Lease scheme to Britain's Royal Navy (which had already rejected the Admirable class as minesweepers), and when the United States Navy realized that a shortage of engines might prevent it from receiving additional PC-461-class submarine chasers beyond those already on order, it was decided to build the escort variant, designated as Patrol Craft Escort (PCE) for both the US Navy and Royal Navy.[1][2]

The ships were 184 ft 6 in (56.24 m) long overall and 180 ft 0 in (54.86 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m) and a draft of 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m).[1] Displacement was 850 long tons (860 t) standard and 903 long tons (917 t) full load.[3] They were powered by two 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) General Motors 12-278A diesel engines driving two shafts via single reduction gearing.[1][3] This gave a speed of 15.7 kn (18.1 mph; 29.1 km/h).[3] The ships had a range of 8,500 nmi (9,800 mi; 15,700 km) at 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h).[1]

The normal armament on completion consisted of a single 3 in (76 mm) gun forward, two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, backed up by 4 or 5 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. A Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar was mounted between the 3 inch gun and the ship's bridge, while depth charge projectors and rails were mounted on the ships' fantail.[4][5] Later ships were fitted with a third Bofors gun and additional Oerlikons,[3] while ships were later modified to mount three twin Bofors mounts and four Oerlikons.[5] Some ships (including PCE-867) were armed with two 3-inch guns and three Oerlikons.[6]

The class was fitted with radar, sonar and other detection equipment for ASW.

Some PCEs later were converted to PCE(R), Rescue Escorts, and to Amphibious Control Vessels, PCE(C) that were used in many U.S. amphibious landing operations in World War II, especially Leyte Gulf and Normandy.

Sixty-eight Patrol Craft Escorts were built for the US Navy, and seventeen were delivered under the Lend-Lease Program to Allies during World War II. The PCEs proved to be an inexpensive substitute for larger and more valuable destroyers and destroyer escorts in convoy escort work.

In 2014, the Philippine Navy still operates the Miguel Malvar class with six PCEs as gun corvettes, with all the ships' ASW equipment already removed. The PCE is the most numerous major ship class of the Philippine Navy that, at one time, numbered more than ten vessels.

• Friedman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants: Including PT-Boats, Subchasers and the Brown-Water Navy: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-713-5.
• Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Lenton, H. T. (1974). American Gunboats and Minesweepers. WW2 Fact Files. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08064-1.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to PCE-827 class.

• http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/02idx.htm
• http://www.ww2pcsa.org/patrol-craft.html