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Today, Battleship Texas participated in the Davie Defense – Gulf Copper groundbreaking for the Coast Guard icebreaker production facility coming to Galveston, Texas. The ceremony concluded with a blast from the historic ship’s whistle and blank firing of the massive 14″ guns.
Really it is Coast Guard related. I had to post it.
The Coast Guard has started activities to eventually replace the response boat-small II, the current workhorse of the Coast Guard’s boat fleet, here patrolling coastal waters. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios.
Below is a release from the Acquisitions Directorate, CG-9.
June 1, 2026 —
The Coast Guard on April 28 accepted delivery of four demonstration boats that will be used to generate operator feedback that will help inform the requirements and specifications for the next generation of response boats-small (RB-S).
Delivered to Coast Guard Base Charleston in North Charleston, South Carolina, the four boats will be operated by multiple Coast Guard crews to identify features or equipment that enhance mission performance. The boats will be used to develop and validate performance requirements, assess industry capabilities and gather information about the marketplace. The Coast Guard will then transition to developing the requirements for the third-generation RB-S. The upcoming RB-S III program will replace the approximately 350 RB-S II vessels in operation across the Coast Guard.
Following the Jan. 8, 2026, contract award, each of four contractors delivered one demonstrator boat, ranging in length from approximately 29 to 37 feet. Each of the boats is powered by twin outboard engines producing up to 600 horsepower.
The contractors are:
The RB-S II is the workhorse of the Coast Guard’s boat fleet and the second generation of this platform. This fleet patrols coastal waters and is approaching the end of its service life. Coast Guard boats support a wide range of crucial missions, including drug and alien interdiction; living marine resources; defense readiness; search and rescue; other law enforcement; aids to navigation; and ports, waterways and coastal security.
For more information: Boat Acquisition Program
Eastern Shipbuilding, Argus and Chase building. June 2021.
US Naval Institute reports, “Coast Guard, Eastern Shipbuilding Negotiating ‘Contract Resolution’ on First 2 Offshore Patrol Cutters.”
The post includes the following statement,
According to Coast Guard budget documents, Argus and Chase are set to deliver this year, though its unclear how complete the cutters are.
I will go out on a limb and state there is not a chance in hell of Argus and Chase being delivered this year. I have been told that Argus was actually launched prematurely (October 2023) to quiet questions about progress on the program. I don’t believe Argus has ever gotten underway. There have been no reports of it conducting sea trials. Apparently Chase has not even been launched yet.
Eastern did spend some money to improve their facilities in 2024, but providing 1,000 linear feet of additional bulkhead and berthing space and lengthening the launch facility from 380 to 500 feet, did not seem to be aimed at speeding up OPC construction.
This was in contrast to what we have seen from Austal. From Austal’s website 2024,
“Through continual capital investments, over $500 million to date, Austal USA has expanded its capability and capacity to enable concurrent production of aluminum and steel ships. The company recently broke ground on a new assembly building which will provide 192,000 square feet of new covered manufacturing space. The building will consist of three bays, two of which will be sized specifically to erect the OPC.”
Eastern did not assemble their OPCs in a building.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group was contracted to build the first four offshore patrol cutters. The first ship, Argus, was expected to be delivered by the end of 2022. (Eastern Shipbuilding Group photo)
“The ongoing talks come as Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has put a hold on all Coast Guard promotions over questions on shipbuilding contracting and lack of information from the service, Scott’s office confirmed to USNI News late last week. In a statement, Scott said the hold was the result of 18 months of unanswered questions over the status of Coast Guard contracting that includes the status of Argus and Chase.”
Despite Scott’s statement, “I don’t care what that resolution looks like, we just need a resolution.” To me that sounds an awful like putting a thumb on the scales of any negotiations between Eastern and the Coast Guard, putting pressure on the Coast Guard to meet Eastern’s demands.
To put things in perspective, this is the sequence of events:
USCGC Storis (WAGB 21) and USCGC Waesche (WMSL 751) conduct a proof‑of‑concept fueling‑at‑sea evolution while moored in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, May 1, 2026. The evolution marked a successful operation as first of its kind with a new Polar Asset. (U.S. Coast Guard photo via shipboard drone by Lt. j.g. Genzo Matua Gonzales)
Very pleased to see they have the V-BAT UAS. We knew they were coming (“Potential $198.1M Contract Award for Cutter-Based V-BAT UAS,” June 2024) and have seen V-BAT on other cutters. It is more capable than Scan Eagle and requires no catapult or recovery hardware. While the contract was for “Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO)” services, it did include provision for service pilot and mission training. Since the photo above is “…via shipboard drone by Lt. j.g. Genzo Matua Gonzales” I hope that means we now have service members piloting some of these UAS.
The photo of the above may show that USCGC Storis has the equipment to do astern refueling but doing it tied up in port is much different from doing it underway, particularly if someone must tend the hose on the aft deck in a rough sea. The photo also shows the low freeboard aft that was one of the reasons the Coast Guard was hesitant to purchase the ship. I still have hopes the Coast guard may yet move the flight deck aft and enclose what is now an open cargo deck aft.
I cannot see National Security Cutters needing to refuel underway from Storis, but perhaps in a quiet cove she could refuel FRCs.
May 22, 2026
ALAMEDA, Calif. – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) returned to their homeport in Alameda Friday after concluding a 113-day patrol in the Bering Sea. The cutter traveled 18,685 nautical miles conducting a broad range of operations including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and the integration of new capabilities, all while projecting U.S. presence in the high north environment.
The Waesche crew rescued five mariners from the fishing vessel Ocean Bay after it ran aground and began taking on water near Umnak Island, Alaska. The cutter provided on scene support while an Air Station Kodiak MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the fishermen to safety. Additionally, the Waesche provided communications and oversight during the aerial rescue of two hikers stranded in the Dutch Harbor mountains.
The primary mission of the patrol was protecting the U.S. commercial fishing fleet, securing, controlling, and defending U.S. borders and maritime approaches. Waesche’s crew conducted 15 boardings, discovering 11 violations.
The deployment also highlighted the Coast Guard’s commitment to joint operations and technological advancements in the Arctic. The crew conducted deck landing qualifications for more than 64 flight hours with pilots from Air Station Kodiak and the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron. This patrol also saw the initial integration of the V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a remote surveillance drone capable of vertical takeoff and landing, which provides persistent airborne surveillance to support a wide range of Coast Guard missions from a smaller footprint.
In a demonstration of the service’s capability to sustain forces in the high north, Waesche conducted the first-ever fueling at sea exercise with the Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The exercise proved Storis’s unique ability to extend asset time on station and deliver fuel direct to another cutter, maximizing the nation’s operational footprint. The two cutters also engaged in a passing exercise, maneuvering in close formation to hone visual communication and ship handling skills.
“The Bering Sea is one of the most challenging areas that the Coast Guard operates in, especially during the winter,” says Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of Waesche. “I am extremely proud of the grit and devotion to duty that the crew displayed by rising to the challenges of sub-freezing temperatures, equipment casualties and a government shutdown to successfully execute a myriad of missions and provide sovereign presence in this challenging environment.”
Waesche is a 418-foot National Security Cutter with a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, and a permanent crew of 120. She is equipped with a 4,000 square-foot flight deck and hangars capable of housing two multi-mission helicopters.
Waterways Commerce Cutters
Below is a release from the Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9).
May 29, 2026 —
The Coast Guard authenticated the keels for three future waterways commerce cutters (WCCs) March 6 at Birdon America’s shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.
Coast Guard cutters Allen Thiele, Fred Permenter and Samuel Wilson are the first three of 30 WCCs that will replace the Coast Guard’s legacy inland tender fleet. The new cutters will strengthen the service’s ability to facilitate maritime commerce vital to economic security, strategic mobility and national defense.
The WCC fleet will help control, secure and defend the nation’s ports and waterways while maintaining the United States’ 12,000-mile marine transportation system. This critical network supports more than $5.4 trillion in annual economic activity and millions of American jobs.
In a special proceeding, the keels were authenticated simultaneously – a departure from the traditional single-vessel ceremony. Keel authentication is a longstanding maritime tradition in which a ship’s sponsor welds their initials onto a ceremonial plate permanently affixed to the cutter, symbolizing the start of the vessel’s construction. The cutters authenticated included the leads for both the river buoy and inland construction tender variants.
The new fleet has been designated the Chief Petty Officer class, with each cutter named in honor of a distinguished Coast Guard senior enlisted leader. The namesakes for the first three WCCs:
Acquisition of the WCC fleet is supported in part by funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the largest single funding commitment in Coast Guard history. The law provided $162 million to accelerate production and deliver three cutters ahead of schedule.
The first waterways commerce cutter is expected to be completed in 2027.
For more information: Waterways Commerce Cutter Program page
We currently have 61 Webber class in commission with assigned homeports. One FRC, USCGC Benjamin (WPC-1123) was decommissioned after a shipyard fire. Wikipedia shows FRC 1163 will be home-ported in Guam and 1164 in San Pedro. This leaves us with 13 ships, 1165-1177, with as yet unknown homeports.
Current assignments for each district including the projected homeports for 1163 and 1164, are as follows:
Only the Great Lakes district has none, but they do have six 140 foot icebreaking tugs that can perform missions similar to those WPC are normally assigned.
A quick look at the list suggests a clear preference for basing in multiples of three, either three or six. Given that boats of the class are expected to be underway 2500 hours a year or about 104 days/year, three boats can keep one boat underway most the year–one in maintenance, one in work-up or standby, and one underway–with only short periods without one of the three underway, including logistics stops to resupply which may be away from home port.
It seems like one more boat will be added where there are currently only two or only 5, Atlantic Beach, Pascagoula, San Pedro, Astoria, and Guam. That would leave 8 without designated homeports.
The NW district is conspicuous as the only district (other than Great Lakes) with so few FRCs, two now but probably three relatively soon. There is a good possibility three will be based in Washington. If so that would leave us with five unassigned.
There have been suggestions the Coast Guard will establish a base in American Samoa. If three FRCs are assigned there, that would leave only two unassigned.
St. Petersburg stands out as the only location with only a single FRC (although two of the FRCs in Alaska are likely to be reassigned to Seward and Sitka). Two more in St Pete would account for all 77 of the currently planned Webber class cutters.
If we get more than currently planned, we might consider basing some in Corpus Christi, the Chesapeake Bay, and/or the San Francisco Bay Area.
Miami-class cutter USCGC Tampa photographed in harbour, prior to the First World War. Completed in 1912 as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Miami, this ship was renamed Tampa in February 1916. On 26 September 1918, while operating in the English Channel, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German Submarine UB-91. All 131 persons on board Tampa were lost with her, the largest loss of life in combat on any U.S. combatant during the First World War. Official U.S. Navy photo NH 1226 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command
A new Long Blue Line story about the loss of Tampa was published May 25. The otherwise excellent article made a statement that, “In 1914, near the start of the war, the British Admiralty began to introduce the convoy system to merchant shipping.”
As I recalled there was a long delay in introducing the convoy system and an American admiral was largely responsible for its introduction. Anyway, it prompted me to do a little research and found this article, “Protecting Allied Ships during WWI: The Convoy System Comes to Gibraltar,” from the American Battlefields Monuments Commission, which explains how the system was introduced and why convoys to and from Gibraltar were so important. It shows how rapidly the system was implemented once the decision was made.
“In March of 1917 alone, 25 percent of merchant ships headed to Britain were sunk.”.
“On April 25, 1917, shortly after the United States officially joined the war, American Adm. W. S. Sims urged the British War Cabinet to adopt a convoy system…By May 1st the British government agreed to a trial convoy.”
“On May 3rd the Navy reported a need for 36 destroyers and 100 smaller anti-submarine vessels for Europe.”
“On May 10th the first convoy of the war sailed for Britain from Gibraltar. It arrived in England on the 22nd without loss and the Admiralty immediately mandated all ships bound for England arrive in convoy.”
“The U.S. Navy decided to establish “Base No. 9” at Gibraltar on July 5th. The next day Adm. Sims, and Adm. Jellicoe specifically requested seven gunboats and an armed American yacht for Gibraltar. In response the U.S. Navy alerted 11 ships to prepare for “distant service” at Gibraltar under Rear Adm. Henry B. Wilson a week later. This force was augmented by six additional U.S. Coast Guard ships by the end of July.”
“The American vessels were placed on convoy duty almost as soon as they arrived. They assumed control of nearly all the convoys between England and Gibraltar, coordinating with American coastal forces off France and Ireland.”
The Coast Guard story is more accurate with regard to Tampa’s arrival,
“On September 29, 1917, Tampa sailed out of New York, bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia… On October 6th, the cutter departed Halifax and was the last Coast Guard cutter to arrive in Gibraltar, in the evening of October 26th. The following day, Tampa reported for duty and was assigned ocean escort duty for its first convoy to England.
These ships are all remarkably close in size to the WMEC210 Reliance class. What the other five cutters did is summarized below, from Wikipedia:
Algonquin, no caption/date; Neg. No. 148-2; Marine Photo Shop-Joe D. Williamson photo.
“Late in September, Algonquin began a 16-month tour of duty in Europe, safely escorting 750 ships on ten round trips between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom and 10 round trips between Gibraltar and the Azores”
Then USS Manning, probably 1918, as outfitted for convoy duty. She and sister Algonquin were armed with four 4-inch guns with 1,500 shells stored in two magazines fore and aft, two racks capable of carrying 16 300-pound depth charges, and four 30.06 Colt “potato digger” machine guns. A small arms locker would be filled with a pair of .30-06 Lewis guns, 18 .45 caliber Colt pistols, and 15 Springfield rifles. Photo from U.S. Warships of World War I, by P.H. Silverstone
“On 30 July 1917, Manning along with the cutters Algonquin, Ossipee, Seneca, Tampa, and Yamacraw were ordered to be outfitted for “distant service” in an unspecified region. The six cutters were outfitted with 3-inch guns and depth charge racks and were assigned duty as convoy escorts based at Gibraltar. Manning sailed for Europe on 29 August 1917 with an increased wartime complement of eight officers, four warrant officers, and 96 enlisted sailors.”
USCGC Ossipee Moored at the Boston Navy Yard in April, 1932, Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection
“While the cutter (USCGC Ossipee) was within the war zone, she was associated with thirty-two convoys and convoyed 596 vessels. In 23 of these, she served as the ocean escort. She also made three special cruises. Ossipee or other ships of her convoys observed submarines or evidence of their presence eight times, and the convoys were actually attacked seven times, with the loss of four merchant ships sunk. Ossipee, herself, was attacked once, barely escaping destruction as the torpedo missed her by 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 m).” (This entry is much more detailed about how the convoy system worked and what Ossipee did than the other ship’s histories. –Chuck)
USRC Seneca, 1908
“Seneca‘s wartime service included escorting 30 convoys consisting of about 580 ships. Only four were lost, and from them 139 survivors were rescued. Twenty-one responses to submarines were made and only one of these proved to be false… The cutter had four close calls with torpedoes, and was believed to have sunk one submarine.” Eleven Seneca crew members (one of whom was USN) were lost in an attempt to save the torpedoed ship Wellington. The attempt resulted in 19 Navy Crosses and a Distinguished Service Medal.
USCGC Yamacraw, c. 1914.
“During convoy missions escorting merchant vessels…(Yamacraw)…performed a rescue, saving four survivors of a torpedo attack. On escort duty Yamacraw cruised over 36,000 miles.”
Japan Coast Guard’s new training ship Itsukushima. Note the dual bridge.
Photo: Japan Coast Guard
Below is a District NW news release.
In 1990 we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Coast Guard and hosted ships from Japan, Mexico, and the Soviet Union in San Francisco. My impression of the Japan Coast Guard ship was extremely favorable.
CCGS Tanu, 17 August 2019, Photo by Jordanroderick via Wikipedia
CCGS Tanu is a 925 ton 171 foot long fisheries patrol vessel with a crew of 15, completed in 1968.
Canadian Coast Guard Ship Tanu transits the Strait of Juan de Fuca during a joint search and rescue exercise, May 21, 2026. The U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard conducted a trilateral search and rescue exercise to enhance interoperability, communication, and coordination among the three nations during complex maritime emergencies. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Jade Moen)
Cape Calvert is a Cape class motor lifeboat. essentially the same as USCG 47 foot Motor Lifeboats.
Canadian CG boat Legacy
CCG Legacy (MMSI 316035702) is an outboard powered 10 meters (33 feet) long with a beam of 4 meters
May 26, 2026
SEATTLE – The U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard conducted a trilateral search and rescue exercise in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Victoria, British Columbia on May 21.
The joint operation aimed to enhance interoperability, communication, and coordination among the three nations during complex maritime emergencies.
During the exercise, crews responded to a simulated sailing vessel in distress, requiring multi-national coordination to locate, recover and transport mock casualties. The scenarios tested joint communication, search pattern execution, and the safe transfer of personnel between vessels from different nations.
Working alongside the Japan Coast Guard’s largest and most technically advanced training vessel, Itsukushima, the exercise yielded a unique opportunity to forge partnerships alongside future Japan Coast Guard officers. The crew of the Itsukushima collaborated with U.S. and Canadian personnel, exchanging best practices and strengthening the longstanding maritime partnership between the three Pacific Rim countries.
“This exercise represents a critical opportunity for our nations to train together in the demanding environment of the Pacific Northwest,” said Douglas Samp, Coast Guard Pacific Area Search and Rescue Program Manager. “Search and rescue is a universal language. By working deck-to-deck and in the air with our partners from Canada and Japan, we ensure that when a real emergency occurs, our combined response is swift, seamless, and effective.”
Participating units included:
United States Coast Guard:
Canada Coast Guard:
Japan Coast Guard:
The conclusion of the successful exercise demonstrated the ability of the three Coast Guards to collectively respond and effectively operate together in complex maritime emergencies.
The Japan Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard continue to strengthen our enduring partnership through SAPPHIRE; the Solid Alliance for Peace and Prosperity with Humanity and Integrity on the Rule-of-law based Engagement. SAPPHIRE embodies the integrity and shared values of both nations as we work seamlessly together to enhance maritime domain awareness, uphold international standards, and ensure a stable, free, and open maritime environment across the region.
Sixty Degrees North has an excellent overview of the last domestic icebreaking season, problems as well as successes. The author is a retired US Navy officer currently living in Finnland. He provides good coverage of icebreaking all over the world. The site is included in my list of recommended blogs.
Waterways Commerce Cutters
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a $17.8 million contract to Ocean Construction Services Inc. for the construction of new engineering and weapons training facilities at Training Center (TRACEN) Yorktown, Virginia.
The project is a critical step in preparing Coast Guard personnel to operate the service’s next generation of Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) and Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCCs).
“This state-of-the-art training facility is a cornerstone of our modernization effort, ensuring our investment in a 21st-century fleet is supported by the men and women who carry out our critical maritime missions,” said Jennifer Sinclair, director of Force Readiness Command. “We shape the future of maritime security through advanced training, equipping our personnel with the skills and confidence to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”
The project will add 18,700 square feet of building space to Samuel Travis Hall, the training center’s Cutter and Weapons Training Building. This expansion will ensure tailored ship-specific engineering and weapons training facilities for the modern fleet. This building is named in honor of Captain Samuel Travis, Captain of the Revenue Cutter Surveyor, which achieved legendary fame in the War of 1812 during battle on the York River, near TRACEN Yorktown.
The expansion includes mock-up engine rooms, training labs, classrooms, a mock-up training space and other administrative needs to support comprehensive “C-School” training for future cutter crews. This project furthers the Service’s historic transformation made possible by Fiscal Year 2025 Reconciliation by enabling world-class training for two of the Coast Guard’s newest fleets: 25 OPCs and 30 WCCs.
The 25 OPCs are set to replace the aging fleet of medium-endurance cutters, some of which have been in service for over 50 years. These new cutters will form the core of the Coast Guard’s offshore presence, bridging the capabilities between the service’s National Security Cutters and Fast Response Cutters to save lives, control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches, and respond to contingencies.
The 30 WCCs in the new “Chief Petty Officer class” will replace the legacy inland tender fleet and strengthen Coast Guard operations to facilitate maritime commerce vital to economic prosperity and strategic mobility. WCCs’ specialized capabilities are essential for maintaining the United States’ 12,000-mile Marine Transportation System, a critical waterway network supporting over $5.4 trillion in annual economic activity and millions of American jobs.
Using the $25 billion provided by the historic Fiscal Year 2025 Reconciliation, the Coast Guard has already ordered over $13 billion in new fleet assets and capabilities. This rapid investment demonstrates the Coast Guard’s commitment to modernizing acquisitions, delivering next-generation technology, and revitalizing American shipbuilding.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 