Another of those 'Self-published on Amazon' thrillers...
Richard Smith, The Fin Chasers, 2017
United States
Coast Guard
Unnamed (MLB-???) (Unofficial name: 'Fin Chaser')
47ft (14m) Motor Life Boat (Modified)
Details as per the real ships.
Ship has been converted into a research vessel, has an observation tower similar to those on sports fishing vessels fitted, along with a bowsprit, a cradle holding a 16ft (4.9m) long minisub (Named: Jaws, 2 crew, battery powered, fitted with 3x Mares Spearguns) and launching positions for two unmanned, remote controlled minisubs.
Armament is mostly hand held (6 x M4 Carbines, M9 Pistols, 6 Mares Spearguns), an M240B MG is carried but not mounted.
Note: While this ship retains it's rescue capability, it's current assignment is shark research along the US Gulf Coast.
USCGC Casco
Cutter, unspecified class
No other details provided.
Note: Also referred to as a 'Heavy Cruiser'. The name was last used on the Casco Class Cutter USCGC Casco (WHEC-370) a former US Navy Barnegat Class Seaplane Tender that was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1949 and decommissioned in 1969.
Air Force
Neptune
Air transportable mini-sub
Length: 40ft (12.2m)
Manta-ray shaped ('Wings' fold upward over the body to allow air transport.)
Crew: 3 (Pilot, Weapons Systems Officer, 'Flight' Engineer.) + 1 passenger
Exact dimensions are not given but when the wings are folded it can be carried inside a C-130 Hercules which has been modified to allow it to land/take off from water.
Note: Stated to have been designed and built by the United States Air Force for the purpose of making covert retrievals without having to ask the US Navy to do it. Described as being as maneuverable as a "...very, very, slow F-16."
Armament includes laser weapons of an unspecified type. 4x J-65 Armour Piercing Torpedoes (Fictional?), 2x R-40 Heat Seeking Missiles (Fictional?)
Fitted with manipulator arms (Mounted internally, have to be extended to use.)
Non State
Unnamed (ex-Sahand)
Moudge Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: Supplied to the Islamic State by Iran. stated to have been smuggled to Cuba for handover.
Carries a minisub of unspecified type.
Plot summary: The year is 2017, something has been driving sharks off the US Gulf Coast into a frenzy.
Note: This is a pretty silly story, thankfully the author recognizes it at one point having a character comment that the USAF submarine "...looks like it came out of one of Clive Cussler's latest novels...".