USS Aries (PHM-5)

Moored inland in Missouri rather than at a naval base, USS Aries (PHM-5) presents an unusual survival story for a Cold War combatant built for open water and high speed. As the fifth Pegasus-class guided-missile hydrofoil, Aries represents a short, experimental chapter in U.S. naval engineering, when designers pursued compact vessels capable of very high sprint speeds, heavy armament for their size, and rapid-response roles along contested coasts and sea lanes. Built by Boeing at Renton and commissioned in 1982, she spent her service years operating from Key West, involved in training, fleet exercises such as Ocean Venture and UNITAS phases, and law-enforcement missions that tested the class in real interdiction work. Preserved far from her original maritime environment, the ship now serves as a tangible example of hydrofoil technology and the tactical ideas that shaped it—lifted hulls, reduced drag, and the attempt to merge small-ship agility with big-ship firepower. For those interested in naval experimentation and the fate of limited-production classes, Aries offers a rare full-scale reference point rather than a set of drawings or decommissioning photos.