The funding, provided under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), includes $11 million in fiscal year 2025 for immediate upgrades to critical autonomous systems.

Initial investments include:

• $4.8 million to procure 16 VideoRay Defender remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to replace Deployable Specialized Forces’ aging fleet.
• $2 million to procure six Qinetiq Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) and 12 mini-SPUR robots to replace outdated unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) at Strike Teams.
• $4.3 million to purchase 125 SkyDio X10D short-range unmanned aircraft systems (SR-UAS).

These investments are the first in a series of robotics and autonomous systems projects the Coast Guard will pursue using OBBBA funding. The technologies will meet immediate mission needs, improve personnel safety and strengthen the Coast Guard’s capabilities to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches.

“These unmanned systems provide increased domain awareness, mitigating risk and enhancing mission success as the Coast Guard continues to operate in hazardous environments,” said Anthony Antognoli, the Coast Guard’s first RAS program executive officer. “The Coast Guard’s mission demands agility, awareness and adaptability. Robotics and autonomous systems deliver all three, enabling us to respond faster, operate smarter and extend our reach where it matters most. We are not waiting for the future to arrive. We are delivering it to the fleet today.”

The Coast Guard’s Deployable Specialized Forces will use the new ROVs for waterfront and pier inspections, hull assessments, subsurface infrastructure surveys, disaster response and search and rescue missions. Their use will reduce reliance on Coast Guard divers, improving efficiency and safety.

Coast Guard Strike Teams, which respond to hazardous materials spills, major marine casualties, groundings, natural disasters, chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incidents and national special security events, will use the new UGVs to access and sample air in confined spaces aboard commercial vessels.

The SR-UAS will support operations including infrastructure inspections, environmental observation, pollution response, post-storm surveys, ice surveys and communications.

The Program Executive Office for Robotics and Autonomous Systems is part of the Coast Guard’s Force Design 2028 plan, which aims to fully integrate capabilities across the service. Focused on four campaigns – people, organization, contracting and acquisition and technology – Force Design 2028 is an accelerated effort to establish a blueprint for change and transform the Coast Guard into a more agile, capable, and responsive force.

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard recently completed contract actions aimed at accelerating delivery of new MH-60 medium-range recovery helicopters and HC-130J long-range surveillance aircraft and expanding mission capabilities of the expanded aviation fleet.

On Sept. 8, the Coast Guard placed a $14.3 million order for delivery of 13 General Electric T700 engines for its MH-60 helicopter fleet. On Sept. 18, the Service contracted with L3 Harris Technologies Inc. for delivery of three AN/APY-11 multi-mode radar systems, valued at $13.9 million, to be installed on future HC-130Js during the Minotaur missionization process.

Both orders were made possible due to investments in the Coast Guard fleet made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

The T700 engines are among the long lead-time components needed to grow the Coast Guard’s MH-60 fleet and expedite transition of several air stations from the MH-65E to the MH-60. The MH-60’s range, speed, payload and avionics and sensors suite make it a capable platform for all 11 Coast Guard missions. The aircraft’s ability to locate, identify and track surface targets day or night makes it a valuable search and rescue and law enforcement asset. Transition of air stations is necessary to sustain rotary wing capability as the MH-65E continues to face supportability issues driven by a diminishing supply base for an out-of-production aircraft.

The AN/APY-11 radar system was chosen as the optimal multi-mode radar to enhance operational effectiveness as part of the Minotaur Mission System Suite. The Minotaur Mission System enables the collection and correlation of sensor and track data, which is used to conduct drug and alien interdictions, search and rescue, and other statutory missions.

The Coast Guard’s long-range surveillance fleet is a proven asset vital to control, secure and defend the U.S. border and maritime approaches, facilitate commerce vital to economic prosperity, and respond to crises and contingencies. The Coast Guard HC-130J fleet is the Department of Homeland Security’s airlift asset and can provide critical support to DHS partners in response to national events as well as logistical support during routine operations.

The OBBBA includes more than $3.3 billion to expand the Coast Guard’s HC-130J and MH-60 fleets. Nearly $2.3 billion is for the production and fielding of new MH-60 aircraft and delivery of multiple simulators. Approximately $1.1 billion is for production and missionization of six additional HC-130J aircraft, along with associated spare parts and the service’s first HC-130J simulator.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday it has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since launching Operation Pacific Viper in early August, averaging over 1,800 pounds interdicted daily.

These drug seizures, and the apprehension of 59 individuals suspected of narco-trafficking, were the result of more than 20 interdictions since Aug. 8.

Through Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where significant transport of illicit narcotics continues from South America. In coordination with international and interagency partners, the Coast Guard is surging additional assets—cutters, aircraft and tactical teams—to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs. Operation Pacific Viper continues the Coast Guard’s efforts to protect the Homeland, counter narco-terrorism and disrupt Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations and cartels seeking to produce and traffic illicit drugs into the United States.

“The Coast Guard’s maritime fighting force is relentless in our ongoing operations to counter narco-terrorism,” said Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, deputy commander Pacific Area. “Our latest milestone through Operation Pacific Viper – over 75,000 pounds of cocaine seized – underscores our commitment to dismantling Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations engaged in narco-trafficking. The Coast Guard is bringing every authority and every capability at our disposal to disrupt cartels and criminal organizations, stop the flow of deadly drugs into the U.S., and secure U.S. borders and maritime approaches. While we continue our crucial work to defend America, I could not be prouder of the men and women of the Coast Guard in celebrating this milestone.”

Detecting and interdicting narco-terrorism on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force-South, based in Key West, Florida, detects and monitors both aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.

The Coast Guard is the United States’ lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction. We are part of the Department of Homeland Security team protecting our nation and are at all times a military service and part of the joint force defending it.