UAVs–Other services have them, When will the Coast Guard?

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A couple of recent posts reminded me clearly that UAVs are a mature technology. An Army UAV program, the MQ-5B, which entered service in 1996, has reached the 100,000 hour milestone, with more than 72,000 of that being in combat.

https://i0.wp.com/media.globenewswire.com/cache/189/hires/9401.jpg

(Northrop Grumman Corp. photo)

Even the Indian Navy is using them for ocean surveillance.

This raised the question, “Where are ours?”

I know the Coast Guard does have a program to use UAV. If the program description is up to date, the Coast Guard hasn’t done any testing since 2008. I don’t think that is the case. Still you have to wonder what is happening, and why we aren’t using this technology at least in the form of land based UAVs to watch the passes in the Caribbean.

I know there are issues with using unmanned aircraft in airspace where they mix with civil and general aviation, particularly at altitudes where private aircraft may be operating without flight plans, out of contact with air controllers. As a private pilot I’ve seen the Notice to Airman posted regularly. I don’t want to see us have a mid-air either. FAA still has issues to work out for flying them over the US.

Still couldn’t we be using Scan Eagle in the Caribbean and off Colombia? Let’s try a detachment on a 210 instead of embarking a helo, to explore the possibility of possible employment from the Webber Class Fast Response Cutters.  (More on Scan Eagle here and here.)

Unmanned Air Systems may be problematic, but why don’t we have a program for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV). Pairing a USV with a ship can effectively almost double the ship’s search width. Creating a new generation of boats that can be controlled either by an embarked boat crew or remotely, feeding back radar and electro-optic information can make them extensions of the ships sensors for long hours or even days, in situations that would be abusive or dangerous to an embarked crew. The solutions are already out there.

39 thoughts on “UAVs–Other services have them, When will the Coast Guard?”

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention UAVs–Other services have them, When will the Coast Guard? - CGBlog.org -- Topsy.com

  2. I think eventually the US Coast Guard is going to see the value of having UAV’s fly patrols along the US Coast. They can probably get smaller UAV’s that are compact and that they can use off Cutters and launch from a helo deck or boom crane. Even the bigger ones like the predator and reaper can be used from shore to Patrol vast distances without the need for manned crews.

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  3. It seems like a no-brainer to me. In 2009 we were working with AeroMech Engineering on installing AIS on their UAV’s, which are much smaller than the Predator’s but still very capable units, for the Navy… but, last I discussed the matter with them, the CG had little interest.

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  4. It appears y’all are breaking rice bowls. If ya can’t put a live pilot or two, a couple guys or gals in the back and create an extensive infrastructure to support the whole shebang they why have it?

    Why not a UAV? Probably for the same reason enlisted pilots were ditched.

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  5. Pingback: Question To The Coast Guard: Where Are The UAV’s?! | gCaptain

  6. To over simplify, the Coast Guard has a UAS program and is working on eventually fielding UASs, however the technological and regulatory challenges are much greater than the service can afford.

    The Coast Guard put out a UAS Strategy to the DHS Under Sec in 2009 which detailed efforts to acquire a tactical cutter-based UAS (ie Fire Scout), mid-altitude land-based UAS (ie MQ-9 Predator/Reapor), and a high-altitude long endurance UAS (ie Global Hawk). This strategy was more an acquisition approval and funding justification rather than a strategy.

    In June 2009, the DHS Insp General released a report on the Coast Guard’s VUAV program (UAS) and detailed some of the many challenges the Coast Guard is facing…namely airspace integration and mitigation efforts to replace all of this ‘lost surveilance’ on the NSCs. The CGs response is attached with the report and is pretty typical. http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_09-82_Jun09.pdf

    In April, 2010, the Coast Guard released their Congressionally mandated UAS report to Congress, which gives a better idea of the UAS Strategy and CG UAS efforts. Unfortunately I can no longer find this on the web for you.

    Heres DoDs version, Sept 2010, which also gives a good idea of the challenges ahead. http://www.acq.osd.mil/psa/docs/2010-uas-annual-report.pdf

    Coast Guard and CBP are planing a joint deployment of the maritime Predator, named Guardian, some time this coming summer. The deployment will be ISO JIATF-S.

    The Navy is sending two Firescouts on their first operational test deployment this summer. One is going to the Med the other will be land based in the Middle East.

    Congressional language in the past two years has been favorable for funding the UAS program, however the CG has not requested funds. Congress ‘gave’ the CG $5mil last yr for R&D.

    For 2011, the CG has not requested funding, however Senate markups on the HLS Appro Bill have added $10 for cutter-based pre-acqusition and R&D efforts.

    Areas to think about:
    CBP and CG have considerable overlap with their maritime UAS strategy. Does it make sense for each service to have thier own program? Would combining make more sense?

    Should the CG develop a 70% solution and go for more tried and true UASs, such as the Scan Eagle and Integrator UASs?

    Stay the course and continue to learn from other services? In just a few yrs time (5-10), the airspace integration problem may be worked out and technology improvements may make UASs much lighter and more capable than they currently are.

    And of course, funding is always an issue. If the CG does not get this right, it is an easy target in this fiscally austere environment we are in.

    Additionally, here is a great GAO report on the national challenges and safety issues of UAS. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08511.pdf

    And FAA administrator saying UAS and regular aircraft dont mix…

    Click to access 2010-uas-annual-report.pdf

    This by no means captures the entirity of the situation, but it at least gives a glimpse into whats going on.

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  7. John, Thanks for the reading list. I figured the airspace deconfliction problem was a good part of it.

    I still don’t understand why we don’t already have an unmanned surface vessel (USV) program. It’s a whole lot easier and there is no air space/see and avoid/Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) problem.

    As to what we should do relative to air systems, start testing from a ship that can monitor the airspace the UAS will be using, a 270, 378, or NSC, using the firecontrol radars if necessary. As they get further from the ship, keep them high enough to monitor the airspace around them, make sure they have transponders, and take responsibility for avoiding mid-airs. Test them (Fire Scout, Scan Eagle, etc) in operations off Colombia in areas where we don’t need to issue a NOTAM.

    The Guardian project sounds encouraging. Could also test a detachment of land based UAS out of Gitmo or Roosevelt Roads (if its still there) to watch the Caribbean straits and passes.

    The ultimate objective ought to be to replace both land based fixed wing and sea based helicopters as search assets. Save wear and tear and always have them ready to respond when you really need them.

    Test a little, learn a lot.

    Meanwhile, another service gets them, this time the Brazilian Air Force, and the UAS, the Israeli Hermes (R) has an even longer operational history, 200,000 op hours:

    http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elbit-systems-brazilian-subsidiary-aeroeletronica-awarded-a-contract-to-supply-hermesr-450-unmanned-aircraft-systems-to-the-brazilian-air-force-114191114.html

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  8. Actually the CTO of Aeromech assured me that airspace deconfliction was a relatively small problem at sea. It is currently the largest problem for other applications of their birds, most notably Google’s use of them to improve google maps, but not at sea.

    He said the biggest problem was the backwards nature of the military budget system. The CG gets fiscal breaks by “cooperating” (borrowing from) CBP. And the navy is very interested in a joint program with the CG but has allocated all of it’s UAV money to Afghanistan and the middle east.

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  11. Chuck,

    John did a great job of providing facts on the ground. We are in fact using the UAS right now: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/coast-guard-tests-drones-from-florida-to-find-missing-boaters-and-catch/1074878

    This is mainly a concept of operations, but I think we’ve all beat the dead horse about how obviously useful this is (even though I agree with Bill Wells’ comment about the pilot’s union not being predisposed towards the idea). Word on the street is that we will be seeing more of CG missions prosecuted via UAS, even if we don’t own the airframe, although I haven’t seen any press releases that discuss any specifics yet.

    Sincerely,
    Bradley Soule

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    • Bradley, at least that sounds encouraging. If we can get fixed wing UAS to work with the Webber class cutters they may be as effective as larger cutters with helos. We will just need some way to keep them supplied.

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  15. Since I mentioned the Beech King Air as a possible alternative, I thought there might be some interest in seeing what others are doing. Malta is getting this type for maritime patrol and SAR:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110225/local/new-wings-for-the-afm

    “The specialized mission system equipment, sourced from Europe and America, integrates a Telephonics RDR 1700B 360° belly mounted radar, a Wescam MX 15i Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, SAR direction finder plus a number of other sensors and communication equipment, including satellite communication and data transmission.”

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  22. This refers specifically to their use in the Iraqi Air Force but there is a lot of information here about the extended range version of the Beach King Air 350 that is in some respects a UAV alternative and is also flown by the USAF and Marine Corps. It could also perform many of the functions of the HC-144.

    http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Standing-Up-the-IqAF-King-Air-350s-05101/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=did&utm_content=Iraqi+Forces%2C+Light+Air+Fleet+|+ATACMS+|+CNS-ATM+|+Automated+Carrier+Landing&date_sent=2011-07-06+13%3A56%3A27

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  23. Beach King Air 350.

    Look’s like the right fit for enlisted pilots in the Coast Guard especially those already possessing FAA approved licenses and certifications. Maybe they could fly the UAVs too.

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  25. Northrop Grumman news release claiming a successful deployment of Firescout on USS Halyburton (FFG-40)

    http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=229732

    They seem to be pushing Coast Guard missions with this news release, “Fire Scout features a modular architecture that accommodates a variety of electro-optical, infrared and communications payloads. The air vehicle’s operational flexibility makes it particularly well suited for supporting littoral missions such as drug interdiction, search and rescue, reconnaissance and port security.”

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  32. There is an interesting conversation going on over at InformationDissemination (http://www.informationdissemination.net/2013/05/long-range-navy-isr-smart-choices.html#disqus_thread) about the choice of platform for the Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance system (BAMS). The post suggests a marinized reaper (MQ-9) might be more effective than the more sophisticated MQ-4 Triton. The follow on discussion is very good. The question the Coast Guard may want to think about is, while range requirements and survivability may justify the more expensive system for the Navy, is their solution also the best for the Coast Guard, given that the Coast Guard is unlikely to be interested in maintaining surveillance much beyond 700 miles off shore.

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  34. The Chinese Coast Guard is buying Swedish made UAVs.
    http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140420000107&cid=1101

    “Designed as a 180-kilogram unmanned helicopter, the APID 60 is capable of carrying a 75-kilogram payload for up to six hours per sortie. It has a max speed of 150 kilometers per hour, and a max altitude of 3,000 meters.”

    “The APID 60 can also be operated up to 200 kilometers from the control station on a ship or land, and costs more than 75% less than a manned helicopter to operate, the report said, adding that it is just as effective for reconnaissance.”

    Credit to Naval Open Source Intelligence. http://nosint.blogspot.com/

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