The USS Squall (PC-7) was the seventh vessel in the Cyclone-class of patrol ships, constructed by Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana. Laid down on 17 February 1993 and launched on 28 August 1993, she was commissioned into the United States Navy on 4 July 1994. The Cyclone-class ships are designed for coastal patrol, interdiction, and maritime security operations, characterized by their sleek, agile hulls suitable for maneuvering in shallow and confined waters. Squall served primarily in the U.S. Navy's littoral combat zones, with her homeport shifting to Naval Support Activity Bahrain in 2013, positioning her strategically in the Persian Gulf region. Her service record includes notable engagement on August 24, 2016, when operating in the northern Persian Gulf. During this incident, Squall, along with USS Tempest and a Kuwaiti Navy vessel, faced harassment from an Iranian Revolutionary Guards boat. The Iranian vessel ignored radio warnings and loudspeaker orders to leave, approaching within 200 yards of the Tempest and escalating tensions. In accordance with maritime protocols, Squall fired three warning shots with her .50 caliber machine guns into the water, prompting the Iranian boat to withdraw from the area. After nearly three decades of service, USS Squall was decommissioned on 14 March 2022 at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Bahraini Navy, where she was commissioned as RBNS Al-Farooq on 30 March 2022. Her operational history underscores her role in maritime security and regional stability, exemplifying the capabilities of the Cyclone-class patrol vessels in littoral combat and patrol missions in sensitive waters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.