Monthly Archives: December 2016

Canada Chooses Airbus C-295 as New SAR Aircraft

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Airbus C-295 seleccted as Canada's Fixed Wing SAR aircraft.

Airbus C-295 seleccted as Canada’s Fixed Wing SAR aircraft.

FlightGlobal reports, after 14 years, Canada has selected the Airbus C-295 as their future Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft.

The deal means Airbus will supply 16 C295s to replace six de Havilland Canada CC-155 Buffalos and 13 CC-130H Hercules at four bases spread across Canada, providing search and rescue services from the Arctic to the southern border with the USA.

The article is not correct in saying, “The aircraft is in service with the US Coast Guard as the HC-144A, serving as a maritime patrol and rescue aircraft.” The HC-144 (max takeoff weight 36,380 lb (16,502 kg)) is based on the smaller C-235. The C-295 (max takeoff weight 51,146 lb (23,200 kg)) is a direct competitor of the C-27J (max takeoff weight 67,241 lb (30,500 kg)).

President-Elect Picks Retired Marine General John Kelly to Head DHS

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John Francis Kelly (born May 11, 1950) is a retired United States Marine Corps general and the former commander of United States Southern Command.

John Francis Kelly (born May 11, 1950, pictured here in 2012) is a retired United States Marine Corps general and the former commander of United States Southern Command.

The New York Times has reported that President-Elect Trump has chosen retired Marine General and former SOUTHCOM commander John Kelly to head the Department of Homeland Security.

General Kelly served as SOUTHCOM November 19, 2012 – January 16, 2016. That experience should make him extremely familiar with the Coast Guard. He has supported the Coast Guard in the past, and here.

As I understand it, he will need to have a waiver from the Senate to serve because he retired less than seven years ago, but it appears he will have broad bi-partisan support having received the endorsement of President Obama’s former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

Pearl Harbor: A catalyst That Forever Changed Coast Guard Search and Rescue–CG Compass

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In honor of the 75th anniversary of the attack, the Coast Guard Compass has an interesting post about how then Lt., later Captain,  Frank A. Erickson‘s experiences during the attack on Pearl Harbor may have influenced the future development of the helicopter as a Search and Rescue tool.

They also provided the clip above.

Here are some of commemorative post marking this day:

There is also the Coast Guard history Pearl Harbor index.

 

 

“AGAINST THE GROWING ANTI-SHIP MISSILE THREAT, ARE WE TRULY SEMPER PARATUS?”–CIMSEC

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CIMSEC has a new post that is worth the read, “Against the Growing Anti-ship Missile Threat, Are We Truly Semper Paratus?” It is the first of two parts.

Pointing toward the increasing ubiquity of anti-ship missiles, it suggests that we install the SeaRAM system in place of the Phalanx on the Bertholf class National Security Cutters (NSC), and that we also install the system on the Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) and the new icebreakers.

With the Commandant’s proposal,  that the new administration send cutters to the Western Pacific to counter Chinese aggressiveness, better self-defense systems make more sense than ever.

Fitting the system to at least a couple of West Coast NSCs that might be available for WestPAC deployment should be relatively straight forward since the systems have much in common with the Phalanx system it would replace. SeaRAM would have the additional benefit of increasing the ships anti-surface capability as well.

Saving on Gas–Always Nice

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energoprofin

MarineLog reports,

“DECEMBER 2, 2016 — Wärtsilä EnergoProFin is now available for controllable pitch propellers (CPP) as well as fixed pitch propellers (FPP).”

“The specially designed propeller cap has hydrofoil-section fins on the downstream side of the propeller, creating fuel savings of up to five percent.”

They claim the addition pays for itself in one to two years.

From our perspective, it should also increase the range of the ship, and may very slightly increase maximum speed.

Coast Guard Bound for the South China Sea?

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South China Sea claims map by Voice of America, 31 July, 2012

South China Sea claims map by Voice of America, 31 July, 2012

The Voice of America is reporting,

The top U.S. Coast Guard official is eyeing a unique role for his fleet in maintaining peace and stability in the East and the South China seas under the incoming presidential administration.

By mirroring the role of China’s Coast Guard in parts of the Asia-Pacific, said Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft, the U.S. Coast Guard could be the face of U.S. military presence in disputed waters without appearing too threatening.

“When you look at the East and South China seas, look at China’s Coast Guard, it is really the first face of China,” he told VOA. “So I’ve proposed to the Department of Defense that if they were to leverage the U.S. Coast Guard, I would look at providing resources to provide the face of the United States behind a Coast Guard ship, and should that be a consideration for our approach to the East and South China seas with the next administration.”

The post has more background.

This is a major change to Coast Guard tasking and there should be no doubt it will require some trade-off against existing tasking. In all probability our contribution will be a National Security Cutter. Keeping one in the Western Pacific probably means one less in the Eastern Pacific.

Perhaps the Navy will compensate by putting a ship under SOUTHCOM.

Thanks to Luke S. for bringing this to my attention.