An aerial view of ongoing construction at Coast Guard Base Charleston, where the Coast Guard recently awarded a $230 million contract for new operational support facilities as part of a multi-year infrastructure expansion plan. Recent projects include construction of a 90,000-square-foot engineering complex, a 120,000-square-foot multifunctional building, a new parking structure, recapitalization of Pier Mike, and a new medical and dental facility. These efforts are part of more than $440 million in upgrades to transform Base Charleston into a premier East Coast operational base. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Below is a news release:

Immediately below is a quote from the Base’s web site. In addition to James and Hamilton, National Security Cutters USCGC Stone and Calhoun, not listed, are also based there for a total of four.

Base Charleston was established on October 19th 2015. Base is comprised of two campuses, one in downtown Charleston and one at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in North Charleston, South Carolina. There are 07 Officers, 111 Enlisted, 35 Reservists and 22 Civilians for a total of 175 personnel. Base manages 21.5 acres of property with 214,841 square feet of facilities, and 2 major and 2 floating piers.  Base Charleston serves as a mission support touch-point for Coast Guard operations within the northern 7th Coast Guard District, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with operational partners to ensure the delivery of professional, responsive and cost-effective services to the American public. Our large area of responsibility spans from the North Carolina/South Carolina border down to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Base Charleston is home to a variety of tenant commands.

Maritime Law Enforcement Academy

Southeast Regional Fisheries Training Center

Sector Charleston

Station Charleston

ANT Charleston

USCGC JAMES

USCGC HAMILTON

CGC WILLOW

USCGC CORMORANT

USCGC ANVIL

SFLC detachment

FASSO detachment

The Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building located in southeast Washington is shown from the aerial perspective of a Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter Aug. 21, 2015. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held July 29, 2013, which completed the first stage of the Department of Homeland Security consolidation project on the St. Elizabeths west campus.

GAO has made a report which basically says the current plan does not include goals and measures of effectiveness needed to determine if the modernization is doing what it is intended to do (see below).

I can see why that is the case, since the Coast Guard has eleven missions which are cross connected and constantly changing. How many SAR cases? How many alien migrants? How many drug runners are there? Will an oil well blow up? Will the Chinese fishing fleet enter the US EEZ in the Western Pacific?

Multi-purpose assets are continually reassigned due to changing priorities. Still I recall when the Coast Guard used to issue an annual performance report. Nevertheless, it seems DHS stopped the Coast Guard from making these reports after 2011 (as reported by GAO).

I would also think the “Fleet Mix Study” would be based on a set of goals that should be published, but the second and latest Fleet Mix Study has not been made public.

The Coast Guard has also never published a long term (20 or 30 year) fleet plan, as the Navy does, it seems at least annually, despite being directed by Congress to do this. Again this may have been held up in the Department.

Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention, 

What GAO Found

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Coast Guard leadership have made a case that the service needs transformation. Since 2019 GAO has reviewed four Coast Guard reform efforts and identified steps the service took to incorporate leading practices as well as gaps in key areas. For example, in prior reviews of Coast Guard sexual misconduct and modernization of mission planning and reserve component reform efforts, GAO found that the Coast Guard did not fully assess its workforce needs. Additionally, for two of the reform efforts, the Coast Guard did not fully establish goals and outcomes, making it difficult to determine if the reforms had the intended effects.

According to GAO’s review of Force Design 2028 foundational documents, the Coast Guard has taken some steps to implement leading practices in its current reform effort but gaps remain. For example, the service has assigned leaders to its reform efforts and focused on addressing long standing challenges, including workforce and technology and contracting and acquisitions. However, GAO’s review also found that certain goals are not well-defined. For example, the execution plan states that the service will delegate decision-authority to maximize mission impact. However, the document does not describe how the Coast Guard will measure this effort or know when it achieves its reform goals. Further, how proposed reforms align with Coast Guard missions is unclear, and there is no performance plan or other mechanism to assess the results.

The Coast Guard has received significant funding to carry out its modernization reform efforts. Therefore, incorporating leading practices throughout the duration of the Coast Guard’s reform efforts is important. Specifically, updating its foundational modernization documents and developing an evaluation plan and mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of its actions would better ensure that Coast Guard management, Congress, and the public has the information needed to evaluate whether its actions—which are using billions of taxpayer dollars—are helping to mitigate identified challenges pertaining to the service’s organization, people, technology, and contracting and acquisitions.

KONGSBERG and Salt Ship Design to design Norway’s standardised vessels

Norway has begun a program to replace ten vessel classes including their Coast Guard vessels, with two classes of standardized hulls to be tailored with modular systems.

Wikipedia indicates Norway will build ten of the larger ships (90 meters and 2,000 tons) and 18 of the smaller ships.

Naval News reports Lithuania has joined the program and the UK may also if Norway chooses the UK to build replacement frigates.

Norway and Lithuania sign a historic MoU at the NATO Summit, making Lithuania the first partner in Kongsberg’s Standardised Vessel Programme as UK interest looms.

Lithuania will probably use the smaller hull to replace four Danish built Flyvefisken-class patrol vessel and three British built Hunt class MCM vessels. They will probably want no more than three of the larger vessels.

British OPVs are relatively new, so I don’t see them being replace, but they are planning to introduce large numbers of unmanned vessels and they will need tenders and support vessels. They may also replace smaller patrol vessels which are also used for training and mine countermeasures ships.

No specifications are currently given for the smaller ships, but I will make some guesses.

Norwegian Nornen class Coastguard ship KV Tor, a Norne-class coastguard, in the inner Førdefjord, 25. July 2008.

Particularly for the smaller ships, I see some relationship to the existing Nornen class patrol vessels pictured above, with their raised foc’sle and superstructure over the full width of the hull. These are relatively large for inshore patrol vessels being less than a foot longer than the Webber class WPCs, but displacing more than twice as much. There crew is only 20. The Nornan class was built about 20 years ago so will likely be replaced by the smaller of the two hulls.

The Nornan have a 1C ice class rating, meaning,

“AI Overview–Ice Class 1C is a structural and mechanical rating in the Finnish-Swedish Ice Class system assigned to vessels designed for independent navigation in “easy” or light, first-year ice conditions ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 meters thick” (about one foot–Chuck)

PHILIPPINE SEA (Oct. 22, 2014) – The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) sails into open water as part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group (PELARG). (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Hammond/Released) MC1 Joshua Hammond

The War Zone reports, 

“Sometime in the next few weeks, the decommissioned Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser ex-USS Mobile Bay, the 7th example of her class built, will be sent to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean by friendly forces, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Tarawa class ex-USS Peleliu (LHA-5) amphibious assault ship will also be pummeled to its doom by friendly fire. These are two very high-profile and vastly different targets, which will make for a uniquely interesting pair of SINKEX drills. The event will take place during the 30th Rim of the Pacific(RIMPAC) biennial international maritime exercise.

“RIMPAC 2026 began June 24 and runs through July 31…”

Seeing what it takes to sink a ship is always interesting. These are likely to be particularly resilient.

The Tarawa class ex-USS Peleliu (LHA-5) (834 feet (254 m) length overall and 39,967 tons full load) is a relatively large ship, a bit bigger than the WWII Essex class aircraft carrier, but still far smaller than the largest merchant ships.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) cutting through the Pacific Ocean, Feb. 5, 2019. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Greenberg) Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob L. Greenberg

The former USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) (567 feet (173 m) in length and displacing 9,600 tons) is about twice as large as a National Security Cutter.

These ships will be hit by guns, rockets, and missiles, but I don’t expect either to  go down until they are torpedoed.

Before that happens, would be nice if any participating Coast Guard cutters got to take a shot a them.

Homeland security cutter-light concept rendering.

Below is a news release from the Assistant Commandant for Acquisirtions (CG-9).

July 1, 2026 —The Coast Guard released a request for proposal (RFP) June 30 for design, production, testing and delivery of homeland security cutter-light (HSC-L) vessels. The Coast Guard plans to acquire seven HSC-Ls through an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract.

The RFP is available here. Proposals are due by July 14, 2026.

The Coast Guard’s aging fleet of 65-foot light icebreaking tugs was commissioned into service between 1961-1967 and is well beyond its planned end of service life. The HSC-Ls will replace these critical assets with a dual-capability platform, maintaining year-round access to smaller ports and harbors. The HSC-Ls will be designed to operate efficiently in a variety of ice conditions and will be equipped with aids to navigation capabilities, providing safe passage and navigation for vessels of all sizes.

The Coast Guard plans to use a two-phase process for evaluation of industry proposals received through this RFP. Following receipt of Phase 1 proposals, the service intends to issue advisory down-select notices to select offerors. Phase 2 proposal due dates will be included in a subsequent solicitation amendment.

For more information: Homeland Security Cutter-Icebreaker page

Below is a 7th Fleet news release.

Pictured immediately below is the Japan Coast Guard cutter USCGC Midgett exercised with.

JCG Yumihari (PLH-44), JCG Shunko-class patrol vessel

A second report of the exercise here from Helis.com. (Also source of the photo at the head of the post.)

Japan Coast Guard Airbus H225 Super Puma helicopter,

U.S., Japanese forces conduct Pacific Atlas 26-1

From U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

Sea Waves reports,

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Coast Guard conducted a Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, June 27-28, 2026. This activity demonstrated a collective commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

As the eighth MCA of 2026, this exercise was designed to expand capabilities at sea by incorporating and refining shared Coast Guard law enforcement tactics, specialized procedures, and maritime doctrines. The two-day exercise included series of interoperability activities including a search and rescue exercise, maritime domain awareness activity, and division tactics.

WarshipCam -Official
March 29 at 4:49 PM
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All six Bahrain-based USCG Sentinel-class cutters eastbound in the Singapore Straits – USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC-1141),USCGC Robert Goldman (WPC-1142), USCGC Glen Harris (WPC-1144), USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC-1145), USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC-1146) & USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC-1147) – March 2026 SRC: X-@StraitsSights

Participating units included U.S. Coast Guard PATFORSWA fast response cutters USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145), normally home-ported in Bahrain,

Philippine Navy Jose Rizal-class frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FFG 15) sails during part of the Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, June 27, 2026. US Coast Guard photo.

South Korean built Philippine Navy Jose Rizal-class frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FFG 15),

USCGC Waesche accompanies the PCG’s Melchora Aquino during a search-and-rescue exercise in the South China Sea in July 2024. (USCG)

and Japanese built Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels BRP Teresa Magbanua-class BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV 9702),

BRP Capones in Davao Gulf. Photo credit Philippine Information Agency

and the 44 meter BRP Capones (MRRV 4404).

This does at least tell us what some of the PATFORSWA cutters are doing since they left Bahrain as a result of the war with Iran.

Service members assigned to the Maritime Force Protection Unit Bangor pose for a photo with Royal Marines, assigned to the 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, on the waters of the Puget Sound, Wash., Nov. 4, 2025.

Department of War posted a story about Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Bangor, which provides protection for Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines, during their surface transits to and from their base.

Two Coast Guard special purpose craft-screening vessels, assigned to the Maritime Force Protection Unit Bangor, transit the waters off Port Angeles, Wash., March 18, 2025. 

Note the .50 caliber machine guns in remote weapon station mounts which provide augmented vision as well as a stabilized weapon with the operator out of sight.

We have talked about these units before (see below), but it has been quite a while. The post includes photos of a Coast Guard WPCs and a helicopter apparently escorting an SSBN. These are not part of the full time single mission Force Protection Unit but were apparently operating in cooperation with them.

USCGC Florence Finch sails alongside the ballistic-missile submarine USS Maine as it transits the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the Washington CoastCoast, March 18, 2025.

There was one statement that particularly caught my attention, “…the MFPU mission has given Cifelli the chance to experience a wide variety of weapons systems within his rating, from small arms to the .50-caliber machine gun and even new systems designed to counter emerging threats.” I am guessing this refers to counter UAS systems.

Previous posts on the subject

• Force Protection Unit “Coast Guard cutters Sea Dog, Sea Dragon decommissioned in St. Marys, Georgia” –News Release, May, 2024
• Navy buying boats for the Coast Guard, February, 2021
• CG Maritime Force Protection Units, October, 2012

Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention. 

It has been almost three years since I posted, “Why Russia Should be Worried, ARCTIC PRC’s 13th Arctic expedition creating concerns for Russia” –The Watch.” Now the we have another clear explanation of why China may attempt to recover territory handed over to Russia under the “unequal treaties” in 1858/1860, “If China recovers Russian Far East coast, it will suddenly outflank island chain,” which appeared in “The Strategist” an on-line magazine of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

This new post primarily suggests this development would make it more difficult to track Chinese submarines. (China has overtaken Russia and the US to become the largest builder of submarines in the world.) In addition, it provides additional reasons why China would want to do this.