Yearly Archives: 2023

WMEC 210 Makes Three Drug Busts, Seizing 11,550 Pounds of Cocaine–Additional Observations on Eastern Pacific Drug Interdiction

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USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623)

Below is a Coast Guard News Release. It is in fact a pretty typical news release. There are lots of these, and I usually don’t bother to publish them, but this one has prompted me to make some observations.

USCGC Steadfast had a very successful patrol. In fact, she did as well as any National Security cutter might have done despite the fact, she is less than a quarter the size of an NSC. Despite her age, size, and relatively slow speed, she has the critical assets necessary for success–good boats, an airborne use of force helicopter, and a crew that knew how to use them. Conclusion: It is a numbers game. Not every cutter needs to be 4500 tons, because we need numbers and smaller cutters can do the job. (I do like the fact that the newer cutters are faster.)

Looking back on six months’ worth of Coast Guard News reports (60 pages) it looks like a disproportionate part of the Eastern Pacific drug interdiction patrols are being done by PACAREA cutters. It is counter intuitive, but LANTAREA ships are actually much closer to the patrol areas and LANTAREA has many more large patrol cutters (NSCs and MECs: LANT 25 / PAC 9).

PACIFIC AREA CUTTERS: 

ATLANTIC AREA CUTTERS:

LANT Cutters do all the drug interdiction in the Caribbean and Migrant interdiction as well but, in addition to the 25 large ships, LANTAREA also has something like 35 Webber class cutters (in addition to the six in PATFORSWA), with 19 or 20 in the 7th District alone. By comparison, PAC AREA, with 84% of the entire US EEZ, has only 13 Webber class, four in the 11th District, six in the geographically huge 14th District that must also assist the nations of the Compacts of Free Association, and three in the 17th District (Alaska). The 13th District, where PACAREA’s three 210s, that are apparently doing most of the Eastern Pacific drug interdiction work are based, has not a single Webber class. Conclusion: PACAREA needs more ships than currently assigned or planned. The Webber class have probably made it possible to move more MECs to the Pacific. In the meantime, LANTAREA should be sending more ships to the Eastern Pacific drug transit zone.

July 23, 2023

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast returns home after 70-day counternarcotics patrol in Eastern Pacific

ASTORIA, Ore. – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) and crew returned to homeport, Friday, after a 70-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific.

Steadfast’s crew disrupted the flow of illegal narcotics on three separate occasions during their patrol, preventing a combined total of more than 11,550 pounds of cocaine from reaching the U.S.

The crew steamed more than 16,000 nautical miles conducting training, law enforcement missions, providing search-and-rescue coverage, and conducting helicopter operations while patrolling the waters between their Astoria homeport and the international waters off the coasts of Central and South America.

While patrolling in the Eastern Pacific, June 9, Steadfast’s cutter boat crew detected a suspected narcotics-smuggling panga-style vessel. Coast Guard personnel conducted a boarding on the vessel, resulting in the interdiction of 2,200 pounds of cocaine.

On June 18, Steadfast was notified by a Customs and Border Protection Maritime Patrol Aircraft and crew (MPA) of another suspected narcotics-smuggling vessel. Steadfast personnel launched the helicopter, which was able to visually detect the target. Steadfast’s boarding team interdicted the 50-foot low profile vessel (LPV), a type of vessel specifically designed for avoiding radar detection, which make them difficult to detect. Steadfast personnel were able to interdict and seize 6,864 pounds of cocaine from the vessel.

During routine operations on July 9, Steadfast personnel were notified by MPA crew of a suspected narcotics-smuggling vessel transiting international waters. Steadfast launched a cutter boat with a boarding team and HITRON helicopter and aircrew to interdict the vessel. The target vessel attempted to evade the pursuit crew and began jettisoning suspected packaged narcotics overboard. The gunner aboard the HITRON helicopter used disabling fire to stop the engines of the smuggling vessel, ending the pursuit. Steadfast personnel recovered the jettisoned contraband, resulting in the seizure of another 2,464 pounds of cocaine.

The seized contraband was offloaded in San Diego during Steadfast’s transit home.

The ongoing battle against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific theater demands united efforts on all fronts. Between initial detection, gathering intelligence, interdiction, and case prosecution, the Coast Guard works closely with partner nations and other U.S. agencies to interrupt the flow of illegal narcotics and chip away at the influence of cartels.

“This patrol marked another epic adventure for the crew of Steadfast,” said Cmdr. Brock Eckel, Steadfast’s commanding officer. “The crew’s teamwork and dedication were key to our operational success and their camaraderie made memories of a lifetime at sea and in exotic foreign ports. In keeping with the traditions of the sea services, I am also proud to have inducted 55 pollywogs into the glorious realm of Neptunus Rex’s Kingdom as Honorable Shellbacks.”

Notably, Steadfast became the second known U.S. military vessel to cross the equator on the 4th of July, earning 55 crew members the title of “Star-Spangled Shellbacks.” Steadfast’s crew was able to participate in a line crossing ceremony that solidified crew camaraderie and upheld the long-practiced traditions of seagoing services.

In addition to the ship’s successes in the counternarcotics arena, Steadfast and crew enjoyed several new and exciting experiences in other areas. During their port call in Panama City, Steadfast crew members spent time bolstering relationships with the Panamanian Navy, participating in a volleyball tournament and a barbeque. One of the ship’s small boat crews also rescued a sea turtle that had been entangled in fishing gear, cutting it free and releasing it back to the sea.

Commissioned in 1968, Steadfast is a 210-foot Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported on the Oregon coast. The cutter and crew deploy along the western seaboard from North America to South America conducting missions such as living marine resource law enforcement, counter-narcotics and migrant smuggling, and search-and-rescue operations.

“Navy orders 24 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 62 sensor payloads in $32 million deal to Boeing Insitu” –Military+Aerospace Electronics

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Insitu Scan Eagle in Coast Guard colors

Military+Aerospace Electronics reports,

Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced a $32 million order late last month to Boeing Insitu Inc. in Bingen, Wash., for four RQ-21A Blackjacks, 20 ScanEagles, 62 ScanEagle payloads and turrets, as well as support equipment and spare parts.

Could some of these systems be going to the Coast Guard? And, if not, why not? The Coast Guard regularly buys equipment, including aircraft, by adding on to DOD contracts.

The Coast Guard is, I believe, still contracting for vendor operated Scan Eagles. It’s about time they were integrated into the service and operated by enlisted Coast Guardsmen.

I suggested the Coast Guard should take a look at this system in 2011. Probably not because of my suggestion, but the Coast Guard started testing the systems at least as early as 2014. Scan Eagle was flown from USCGC Bertholf and made its “first bust” in 2014, nine years ago. The decision to put Scan Eagle on the National Security Cutters was made in 2020. Presumably Scan Eagle or something similar will be on the Offshore Patrol Cutters as well. The Coast Guard still needs long range shore based UAS, and I think there is a good case for small shore based UAS at the group level.

Point being, we are passed the initial research stage. We know there will be UAS operated by the Coast Guard for the foreseeable future. The number of unmanned systems in the Coast Guard should grow rapidly.

Scan Eagle was developed to be operated by commercial fishermen from Tuna boats. It’s not rocket science. It should be obvious the Coast Guard needs to own the equipment and develop in house unmanned system expertise.

Buy the equipment. Make unmanned operation and maintenance a rating or a special qualification and career path. At least follow the Navy/Marine Corps lead.

“US Navy ‘operationalizes’ drones in 4th Fleet’s UNITAS event” –Defense News

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Personnel from the U.S. and Colombian navies attend a demonstration of Aerosonde MK4.7 Hybrid Quad drone during UNITAS on July 16, 2023. (MC1 Hunter Harwell/U.S. Navy)

Defense News reports,

“The U.S. Navy leveraged air and surface drones throughout its two-week UNITAS 2023 naval exercise near Latin America, the first major event since service leadership announced the region would host the sea service’s second unmanned operations hub.”

The Coast Guard certainly has an interest in 4th Fleet’s use of unmanned systems since their area of responsibility (AOR) includes the Eastern Pacific drug transit zones and the Caribbean.

Apparently, not all the systems are in place yet.

“Some of the same systems will return this fall for operations and exercises in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean, he added.”

Importantly 4 Fleet is developing a “mesh network that compiles a detailed common operating picture of the region — then AI tools could help flag areas where potentially problematic activities are happening.”

Hopefully we will see video of the SINKEX as recorded by the UAS.

“Navy’s New 381-Hull Fleet Plan Recommits To Big Amphibious Warfare Ships” –The Drive

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Five white 311-foot cutters of Coast Guard Squadron Three, assigned to support Operation MARKET TIME tied up alongside Navy repair ship USS Jason (AR-8) at Naval Station Subic Bay in the Philippines, 4 August 1967. From inboard to outboard:
USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378);
USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380);
USCGC Gresham (WHEC-387);
USCGC Barataria (WHEC-381) and
USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382)
U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office. Photo by CDR Richard Morse, USCG, Commanding Officer USCGC Barataria (WHEC-381)

The Drive has one of several posts reporting on the new Navy Fleet Plan and Shipbuilding projections. The US Naval Institute News report is here.

This brings to mind two of my favorite grips:

  • First that he Coast Guard has no similar long-term plans, and second,
  • Coast Guard assets are not considered in as part of the “Battle Force.”

A good part of the reason our ships soldier on long after they should have been replaced may be because we have not been informing the executive branch and congress about our long-term needs.

I can imagine an adverse reaction to my suggestion that cutters should be part of the “Battle Force”, but you need to understand what the Navy includes in that category. These are not all high-powered warships. Currently the US Navy “Battle Force” is 299 ships. Of those, 59 are USNS ships that are almost completely unarmed, have civilian crews, and no electronic countermeasures. They include oilers, logistics ships, expeditionary fast transports, towing salvage and rescue ships, and ocean surveillance ships. In addition, it includes some commissioned ships that are not really warships, like command ships and expeditionary base ships. The relatively small future Landing Ship Medium is expected to be included as well.

If we have a naval conflict with a major power (e.g., China) the Navy is going to need the Coast Guard’s help. Cutters will help enforce blockades, round up hostile merchant shipping and fishing vessels, rescue crews from sunken ships, play host to unmanned systems, provide harbor defense and force protection, and probably ultimately be equipped as second line warships.

Cutters count, so they should be counted.  

Vessels I would include in the count would include at least all the Icebreakers, National Security Cutters, Offshore Patrol Cutters, and Medium Endurance Cutters and possibly ocean-going buoy tenders and Webber class WPCs.

“Birdon America awards first Waterway Commerce Cutter (WCC) subcontracts” –Marine Log

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Shown above are Coast Guard indicative designs of a river buoy tender, inland construction tender and inland buoy tender.

Marine Log reports,

Denver-based Birdon America, Inc. a subsidiary of Australia’s Birdon Pty Ltd, reports that it has awarded a first round of major subcontracts in support its $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Follow the links to previous reporting.

Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention.

“AIS: Harnessing state of the art maritime solutions to uncover hidden fishing vessel movements in the Pacific” –a webinar

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For those who might be interested

I am passing along this announcement. This does not constitute and endorsement. I have no idea who these people are.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for tuna in the Pacific region is estimated to amount to almost 200,000 tonns annually. Fisheries are of critical importance to the region with many nations working collaboratively to combat IUU fishing and increase traceability.

Learn how Starboard Maritime Intelligence and Spire Maritime have joined forces to help tackle this issue in the Pacific Ocean, using real-time AIS, AIS Position Validation, algorithms, and machine learning. AIS Position Validation is the new and unique data set from Spire Maritime that independently calculates a vessel’s location at the time of AIS transmission, even when AIS messages do not include valid GPS data.

Join our webinar on 9th August 11AM UTC with Iain Goodridge, Senior Director of RFGL at Spire, and Joseph Corbett, Chief Data Scientist at Starboard to find out how you can partner with our solutions to combat this growing concern. Learn how real-time AIS, and AIS Position Validation along with algorithms and machine learning, can be used to:

  • Understand fishing vessel manoeuvres and confirm compliance with measures to combat IUU fishing.
  • Uncover more intel on the location of fishing vessels that have gone dark.

AIS Position Validation:

Uncover vessel behavior anomalies and spoofing, in real time.

If you are interested to learn more about all the capabilities of AIS Position Validation, and how this unique data set allows you to independently validate a vessel’s reported position, detect vessels not reporting a validated GPS position or detect vessels reporting an incoherent position, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Best regards,

Spire Maritime team

“Coast Guard begins production phase of medium endurance cutter service life extension program” –CG-9

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Coast Guard Cutter Spencer approaches the pier at Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore. Service life extension program work on the medium endurance cutter will last 15 months. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Below is a release from the Acquisitions Directorate, CG-9.

I would note that all six ships getting this service life extension are “B class” 270s, built by Robert Derecktor Shipyard, Middletown, RI, numbers 905, 907, 908, 909, 911, and 912. Unlike the first four “A class,” these have a stronger flight deck, capable of supporting H-60s.

This release clarifies a lot about the SLEP program, but there are still some unknowns.

Reportedly the 76mm Mk75 gun and presumably the associated Mk92 firecontrol system will be removed. A Mk38 gun mount would presumably replace the 76mm, but it is not clear if any additional radar would be added to replace the air search and approach control functions that were provided by the Mk92. “Harriet Lane served as the gun weapons system prototype,” but I have not seen any post conversion photos of Harriet Lane that might show us the new sensor/weapon combination. Harriet Lane is expected to change homeports from Norfolk to Honolulu early in FY2024. Harriet Lane is an “A class” 270.

I also wonder if the SLQ-32 electronic warfare systems will be retained? Will the gun be the same 25 mm we have on the Webber class, or will at least some get the 30mm Mk38 mod4?

Coast Guard begins production phase of medium endurance cutter service life extension program

July 14, 2023

The service life extension program (SLEP) for the 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutters (MECs) moved to the production phase July 1 with the start of industrial work on Coast Guard Cutter Spencer.

Four main areas are being addressed during this SLEP, encompassing electrical, weapons system, engine and structural areas. Coast Guard Cutters Seneca and Harriet Lane served as prototypes for the electrical and structural work; Harriet Lane served as the gun weapons system prototype. Work on Seneca ran from July 2021 to March 2022; Harriet Lane work began March 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in August 2023.

Spencer will be the first hull to receive all major work items, including new main diesel engines. The work is scheduled to last 15 months.

SLEP work on the 270-foot MECs is planned through spring 2028 on five additional hulls: Legare, Campbell, Forward, Escanaba and Tahoma. The work involves targeted system replacement to address system reliability, supportability and obsolescence. SLEP work is completed at Coast Guard Yard concurrently with regular maintenance activities to achieve overall schedule and cost savings. The work will facilitate continued MEC operations during the service’s transition to the future offshore patrol cutter class.

In-Service Vessel Sustainment is the Coast Guard’s strategic class-by-class evaluation of its vessels to determine what major maintenance and upgrades are necessary for them to reach or extend their service lives.

For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program page

“Congress Blasts U.S. Coast Guard in an Unprecedented Hearing” –Forbes

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Forbes reports on a Senate hearing that focused on the Coast Guard Academy’s handing of reports of rape, sexual assaults, harassment, and abuse.

On July 13, members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation took turns raging at the Coast Guard’s “heartbreaking, maddening, frustrating and intolerable” record of handling sexual assaults at the Coast Guard Academy. Furious legislators slapped the embattled Service with an Inspector General investigation and demanded greater accountability from a Coast Guard that is struggling to reconcile a demanding, zero-defect culture with an imperfect reality.

But the hearing and the post looked beyond these immediate concerns and talks about Coast Guard “zero defects” culture in general, and OPC procurement in particular.

Some prior posts that may be related:

Obviously not a new problem. Transparency is hard when one oh-shit wipes out seven at-a-boys, but we need to be honest with ourselves and welcome honesty. We also need to treat every felony as what it is, a serious crime.

Thanks to John W. for bringing this to my attention. 

“Probing Palau’s Waters: Chinese Ships Are Increasingly Active in the Pacific” –Real Clear Defense

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The Republic of Palau on a map of the Pacific. Credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Real Clear Defense reports on Chinese incursions into Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

None of the actions sighted appear to be illegal or that much different from what the US does in the South China Sea, but they are movements we want to watch. A more detailed understanding of what they are doing might reveal illegality such as tapping into undersea cables.

Seems like the Chinese are telling us we need to station some cutters in Palau, and maybe some land based UAS.

The nearest cutters are based in Guam. It is 700 nautical miles from Guam to Palau, further than the distance between Atlanta and New York City, 50 hours at 14 knots, so Guam really isn’t in the neighborhood.

The nearest Coast Guard fixed wing search aircraft are based in Hawai’i at Barbers Point, 4500 nautical miles away. Even the new C-130J would require two fuel stops just to get to Palau.

“JUST IN: Marine Corps Ramps Up Production of Remote Weapon Stations” –National Defense/ Maybe Something the Coast Guard Could Use

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National Defense reports,

The Marine Corps is preparing for the transition to full-rate production of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System Remote Weapon Station, according to a July 10 press release from manufacturer Kongsberg.

The Marine Air Defense Integrated System Remote Weapon Station, otherwise known as MADIS RWS, is a critical system in the Marine Corps Ground-Based Air Defense portfolio, which provides protection from drones with increased lethality against evolving threats.

Since this is a Marine system, built to be exposed to salt air and sea spray, there is no reason it could not also be a naval mount.

Currently no Coast Guard ships seem to have an effective hard kill system to use against Unmanned Air Systems.

The Marines seem to think they have an effective system.

It looks like a version of the MADIS system could be a very useful addition to some Coast Guard Cutters. The Navy might even want a few, including perhaps for the protection of Military Sealift Command Ships.

The war in Ukraine is showing us how useful and potentially dangerous even small Unmanned Surface and Air systems can be. The threat is not limited to Ukraine or Southwest Asia.

The MADIS system and its Remote Weapon Station is light enough to be used on virtually anything the Coast Guard calls a cutter. In addition to defense against UAS, this system could provide basic air defense against other potential threats and defense against swarming small craft.

The Webber Class:

We have already seen the sensors used in the MADIS system on the Webber class WPCs in PATFORSWA, but even those cutters don’t have an effective, installed hard kill system.

The addition of the MADIS remote weapon station to PATFORSWA FRCs would not only allow the cutters to engage UAS but would also provide them with protection against various air threats.

While perhaps less urgent, mounting the system on all Webber class would allow them to offer this protection to other potential targets.

Offshore Patrol Cutter port quarter

The Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC): 

There are two troubling issues with the OPC with regard to their armament.

  • Aside from the .50 calibers, on most bearings, there is only one weapon that can bear on a target. The lack of redundancy is a serious weakness.
  • Protection against even the most basic air threats, including UAS, is weak at best.

I have always been a bit concerned that the arc of fire for the single 25mm Mk38 Mod3 gun is severely limited. It’s mounted on top of the hangar, but what appear to be satcom antennas on either side may limit the firing arc to less than 180 degrees.

Replacing the Mk38 mount, the two .50 caliber in remote weapon stations, and the crew served .50 caliber guns with three properly sited MADIS style remote weapon stations (RWS), would ensure redundant coverage of 360 degrees, provide a more robust air defense (including against cruise missiles), and reduce the number of different weapon systems that need to be maintained.

The National Security Cutters (NSC):

The NSCs are nominally better armed than the OPCs because they have a 20mm Phalanx rather than a 25 Mk38. They would certainly be better off if a pair of the MADIS RWS replaced the .50 caliber crew served weapons. The additional visual sensors might also be useful. It might even be preferable to replace the Phalanx with a third RWS.

Polar Security Cutter and Others: 

The remote weapon system does not necessarily require the air search radar system. This system is light and compact enough to arm virtually any cutter from patrol boats to icebreakers including buoy tenders that do occasionally do law enforcement and would benefit from the electro-optics that are part of the Remote Weapon Station.

Other Considerations: 

Other Remote Weapon Station combinations might be preferable. I would like to see a more powerful gun than the M230 combined with Hellfire or APKWS in addition to Stinger, but this is in the Navy’s system now and provides a unique combination of capabilities. Training and maintenance course should become available.

The gun in the remote weapon system, the XM914E1 30mm that fires the 30x113mm does have a lower muzzle velocity (805 m/s (2,641 ft/s)) than the 25mm M242 (1,100 m/s (3,600 ft/s)) but the 30mm has a higher rate and airburst ammunition not currently available for US 25mm guns. The 25mm might be a better anti-surface weapon but not by much and the air burst ammunition and particularly the Stinger make me strongly favor the MADIS system.

From Back Left: 40mm grenade casing, 30x173mm (A-10/M44), 30x113mm (M230), 25x137mm (M242/Mk38 gun mount), 20x103mm (Phalanx), 50 BMG
300Blackout (typical rifle round), 9mmx19 (typical pistol round)

The air search radars used with the MADIS system would provide redundancy for air search and helicopter approach control. It could also be used to support UAS operations. Reportedly the radar has a range of up to 30km and an instrumented range of 50km at altitudes from 30ft to 30,000 feet.

Stinger may be an old system, but it has a proven capability. It is likely to be replaced with a new and even better system in the near future.