The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Midgett (WMSL 757) and Kimball (WMSL 756) transit past Koko Head on Oahu, Hawaii, Aug. 16, 2019. The Kimball and Midgett are both homeported in Honolulu and two of the newest Coast Guard cutters to join the fleet. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released)
We are finally getting some information about the Coast Guard’s participation in RIMPAC 2022, and some of it may be a bit surprising.
A Coast Guard CO will command a task force,
Coast Guard Cutter Midgett is commanding Combined Task Force 175, which includes ships from France, Peru and the U.S. Navy, and is conducting air and missile defense, gunnery, mass rescue and anti-submarine warfare exercises.
The surprise, of course, is anti-submarine warfare. Midgett might simply simulate the high value unit to be protected, but Midgett will embark an MH-60R. The “Romeo” version is an ASW helicopter.
The 418-foot Midgett, a national security cutter and the largest class in the Coast Guard fleet, will also sail with a Navy MH-60R helicopter on board.
“Part of that is, how do you sustain that particular airframe? How do you support it for a long-range, two-month or three-month deployment?” he said. The Coast Guard is hoping to convert some of its airframes to ones used by the Navy going forward.
I might add, where do you store the sonobuoys, torpedoes, and other weapons?
(I have felt for a long time there are opportunities for attaching Navy Reserve units, that might include ASW Helicopters and their crews and sonar equipment and supporting personnel, to Coast Guard cutters as mobilization assets.)
Will the helicopter operate from Midgett as part of a Sink-Ex? Will Midgett get to participate in a Sink-Ex?
All the Sink-Exs seem to target ships of frigate size or larger. It would be good to have some smaller targets for less capable weapon systems.
What about the USCGC William Hart (WPC-1134), that will also be participating? Her only activity mentioned is to help set up a SAR exercise,
“As part of RIMPAC, the Hart will deploy two groups of mannequins at sea for the Midgett and a Japanese cutter to find and recover in a mass-rescue operation.”
Hope Hart and Midgett get to exercise against high speed small surface targets.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
And this is why the NSC’s should have a bolt on capability for ASW, ASUW and Naval Gun Fire support capability if a shooting war ever breaks out.
This is the Purvian Ship: https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/peru-takes-delivery-of-corvette-bap-guise
This is the French ship, more OPV than frigate. No sonar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Prairial
No idea what USN ships will be in Combined Task Force 175 headed by Midgett’s CO.
The question is how quiet is the NSC? And was any consideration given to the design’s noise signature?
They are super ships.
There are some circumstance where self noise is less important. If in convoy there will be a lot of noise. Towed array below a strong surface layer will be less effected. If the helicopter is doing the hunting and is a way from the launch platform it matters less. If we are looking for a diesel electric sub lying in wait, may need to go active anyway. So while quiet platform is desirable does not mean a noiser platform cannot do useful work. I know there was some effort to make them quieter if only for crew comfort.
RIMPAC SINKEX: Malaysian Corvette KD LEKIR Fires Exocet Missile https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/07/rimpac-sinkex-malaysian-corvette-kd-lekir-fires-exocet-missile/
Video here of three Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) hits on a former USN FFG. First it is hit by two Harpoon, then by an Exocet from an almost 38 year old Malaysian Corvette.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KD_Lekir_(F-26)
I have noticed that ASCMs tend to hit relatively high in the ship’s structure. It appears that the Exocet hit much closer to the waterline than the Harpoons, meaning it is more likely to cause the target to sink.
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The latest Naval Institute Fleet and Marine Tracker lists Midgett as the only CG ship participating in RIMPAC 2022. https://news.usni.org/2022/07/18/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-july-18-2022#more-95887