May 19, 2007: The U.S. Navy is spending $8 million to charter a 220 foot long offshore supply vessel (for the oil industry) to serve as a "mother ship" for its small patrol boats. The supply vessel MV (motor vessel) C-Courageous will have accommodations for 30 patrol boat sailors, a helicopter pad and repair and maintenance facilities for the 39 foot patrol boats the navy uses in its offshore and river patrol squadrons. The ship will carry supplies for 30 days of operations.

During the Vietnam, the navy used World War II era LSTs as mother ships for patrol boats. These LSTs were larger, 350 foot long, ships, but basically did the same job that C-Courageous will perform, probably in Iraq. The company that built the C-Courageous, Edison Chouest, has previously built support ships for navy SEAL operations.