USCGC Storis (WAGB 21) and USCGC Waesche (WMSL 751) conduct a proof‑of‑concept fueling‑at‑sea evolution while moored in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, May 1, 2026. The evolution marked a successful operation as first of its kind with a new Polar Asset. (U.S. Coast Guard photo via shipboard drone by Lt. j.g. Genzo Matua Gonzales)
Very pleased to see they have the V-BAT UAS. We knew they were coming (“Potential $198.1M Contract Award for Cutter-Based V-BAT UAS,” June 2024) and have seen V-BAT on other cutters. It is more capable than Scan Eagle and requires no catapult or recovery hardware. While the contract was for “Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO)” services, it did include provision for service pilot and mission training. Since the photo above is “…via shipboard drone by Lt. j.g. Genzo Matua Gonzales” I hope that means we now have service members piloting some of these UAS.
The photo of the above may show that USCGC Storis has the equipment to do astern refueling but doing it tied up in port is much different from doing it underway, particularly if someone must tend the hose on the aft deck in a rough sea. The photo also shows the low freeboard aft that was one of the reasons the Coast Guard was hesitant to purchase the ship. I still have hopes the Coast guard may yet move the flight deck aft and enclose what is now an open cargo deck aft.
I cannot see National Security Cutters needing to refuel underway from Storis, but perhaps in a quiet cove she could refuel FRCs.
May 22, 2026
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returns to Alameda after successful 113-day patrol in Bering Sea
ALAMEDA, Calif. – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) returned to their homeport in Alameda Friday after concluding a 113-day patrol in the Bering Sea. The cutter traveled 18,685 nautical miles conducting a broad range of operations including maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and the integration of new capabilities, all while projecting U.S. presence in the high north environment.
The Waesche crew rescued five mariners from the fishing vessel Ocean Bay after it ran aground and began taking on water near Umnak Island, Alaska. The cutter provided on scene support while an Air Station Kodiak MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the fishermen to safety. Additionally, the Waesche provided communications and oversight during the aerial rescue of two hikers stranded in the Dutch Harbor mountains.
The primary mission of the patrol was protecting the U.S. commercial fishing fleet, securing, controlling, and defending U.S. borders and maritime approaches. Waesche’s crew conducted 15 boardings, discovering 11 violations.
The deployment also highlighted the Coast Guard’s commitment to joint operations and technological advancements in the Arctic. The crew conducted deck landing qualifications for more than 64 flight hours with pilots from Air Station Kodiak and the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron. This patrol also saw the initial integration of the V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a remote surveillance drone capable of vertical takeoff and landing, which provides persistent airborne surveillance to support a wide range of Coast Guard missions from a smaller footprint.
In a demonstration of the service’s capability to sustain forces in the high north, Waesche conducted the first-ever fueling at sea exercise with the Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The exercise proved Storis’s unique ability to extend asset time on station and deliver fuel direct to another cutter, maximizing the nation’s operational footprint. The two cutters also engaged in a passing exercise, maneuvering in close formation to hone visual communication and ship handling skills.
“The Bering Sea is one of the most challenging areas that the Coast Guard operates in, especially during the winter,” says Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of Waesche. “I am extremely proud of the grit and devotion to duty that the crew displayed by rising to the challenges of sub-freezing temperatures, equipment casualties and a government shutdown to successfully execute a myriad of missions and provide sovereign presence in this challenging environment.”
Waesche is a 418-foot National Security Cutter with a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, and a permanent crew of 120. She is equipped with a 4,000 square-foot flight deck and hangars capable of housing two multi-mission helicopters.
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