This vessel was discussed earlier, but now we have video of a model of the ship (done in LEGOs) along with some additional discussion. You can see this segment on the video above from time 6:22 to 7:47.
19 September, the Congressional Research Service has issued an update to its “Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress” replacing an edition published on eight days earlier. You can see the latest version here. The only significant changes I see in the latest edition is reflected in table C-1 to include future year PSC funding though FY2024 and table C-2 that provides projected Procurement, Construction and Improvements (PC&I) funding through FY2024. Notably these PC&I projections are well below the $2B annually that the Coast Guard has been saying they need.
Projected PC&I totals by FY are:
You can track the changes made between consecutive editions here.
Below is a news release in full. It reports that “contract relief” will be granted to Eastern Shipyard for construction of the first four ships but that the Coast Guard will reopen bidding for the follow on ships. The Coast Guard always had this option although it seemed unlikely before. The statement that this relief will be granted, “in parallel with immediate recompete” probably means we will see a request for proposal in the near future.
It seems unlikely that the follow-on ships would be of a different design. The Coast Guard now owns the detail design (correction, I am told the CG does not own all the design details yet but has the option to purchase them) and a different design would introduce additional delays and expense for design development.
A recompete once again opens the possibility of using a block buy which could result in substantial savings. The recompete could easily provide a block buy for ten ships over five years. A block buy, rather than a contract for two with options, would tend to level the playing field between Eastern, that has the advantage of already building this class, and other shipyards.
From a historical perspective, the 270 program was also completed by two different shipyards, the first four being built by Tacoma Boat, the other nine by Derecktor Shipyard in Rode Island. The change did result in an 18 month gap between the fourth and fifth ship.
| News Release |
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
|
DHS, Coast Guard extend limited contract relief for Offshore Patrol Cutter
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security, in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, granted extraordinary relief to the Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) under the authority of Public Law (P.L.) 85-804.
ESG submitted a request June 30, 2019, for extraordinary relief after their shipbuilding facilities sustained significant damages from Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, in October 2018.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan made the decision to grant extraordinary contract relief limited to the first four hulls on the basis that ESG’s performance on the OPC contract is vital to the national defense. The Coast Guard will immediately transition to a follow-on competitive contract for the remaining OPC program of record.
P.L. 85-804 was enacted in 1958 and extended to DHS through Presidential Executive Order in 2003. Under this law, an existing contract may be amended or modified when such actions are necessary to facilitate the national defense.
The Coast Guard, supported by DHS and the Navy, conducted an extensive analysis of ESG’s request guided by law and Federal Acquisition Regulation. This review included an assessment of the cost, schedule, and performance impacts on the existing contract. The review was overseen by a Contract Adjustment Board chaired by the DHS Deputy Under Secretary for Management.
“Eastern Shipbuilding’s request for extraordinary relief was carefully considered,” said Coast Guard Vice Commandant, Admiral Charles W. Ray. “This review validated the essential contributions the OPC will provide to our national security and determined that limited relief, in parallel with immediate recompete, is the best option in this exceptional situation. Doing so is consistent with the law, fiscally responsible, and the most expeditious means to deliver this essential national capability.”
The Coast Guard intends to release a Request for Information to gauge industry interest in re-competing the remainder of the OPC program of record. This information will inform the acquisition strategy for the follow-on procurement.
The OPC will replace the fleet of Medium Endurance Cutters, commissioned between 1964 and 1991, providing a critical capability between the National Security Cutter and the Fast Response Cutter. OPC acquisition will expand the Coast Guard’s capability to secure the U.S. border and approaches, disrupt drug cartels and other illicit actors, prevent unlawful immigration, and enhance national preparedness. This decision will ensure critical capabilities are delivered to the fleet as expeditiously and responsibly as possible.
-USCG-
The video above is part of Naval News‘ continuing coverage of the “Pacific 2019” Defense Industry show taking place in Sydney, Australia. The topics of the video are listed below. At least two may be of interest, (1) the new Australian Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) being built to a Luerssen design which we discussed here earlier, and (2) the SAAB UMS Skeldar V200 VTOL Unmanned Air System. This is one of a growing number of vertical takeoff “drones.” This one is the first I have seen with ViDAR included in its list of possible payloads. VIDAR was tested by the Coast Guard in 2016.
Video content:
There is reference to the fact that the German Navy has also purchased the SAAB UMS Skeldar. Apparently they ordered two, but are not yet decided if it will become a their standard.
Ens. Sarah Mitchell, 23, of Feasterville, Penn., died from injuries sustained during small boat operations July 8, 2018. (Navy)
Navy Times reports the results of a fatal RHIB accident. There are a whole string of potential lessons to be learned from the accident and how the aftermath was handled, such as how to recover injured personnel from the water.
Axolotl. A type of Salamander that may retain gills
Photo credit: LoKiLeCh
I am scheduled to be the guest on the “Midrats” podcast this Sunday. This is where you will find the Podcast.
For those of you unfamiliar with the blog, here is the description:
Navy Milbloggers Sal from “CDR Salamander” and EagleOne from “EagleSpeak” discuss leading issues and developments for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and related national security issues.
Sal, also has this tongue in cheek description of his blog, so you have a hint what he is like.
Proactively “From the Sea”; an agent of change leveraging the littoral best practices for a paradigm breaking six-sigma best business case to synergize a consistent design in the global commons, rightsizing the core values supporting our mission statement via the 5-vector model through cultural diversity.
Let’s just say, he finds buzzwords less than useful.
It will be broadcast live from 5 to 6 PM Eastern, 2 to 3 Pacific, Sunday, Oct. 6. If you sign in, you can make comments that the host can choose to respond to. It will also be available in recorded form on iTunes.
This will be a Coast Guard centric episode. “Cdr. Salamander” saw the “Navy, this is Coast Guard, we need to talk” post and mentioned it on his blog.
We will probably start with that, but discussion will not be limited to that.
I am just passing this along:
The USCG Office of Cutter Forces (CG-751) is seeking the names and contact information of both Active duty and Retired cuttermen for this year’s Annual Hopley Yeaton Awards, which recognize the two best cutters and two best sailors in our fleet. Cuttermen will be asked to read anywhere from 5 to 15 separate nominations from the fleet during the weeks of 4-8 November, ranking each nomination according to a pre-determined method.
Please contact LT Paul Ledbetter, 202-372-2324, Paul.A.Ledbetter@uscg.mil with the information below if you are able to assist in choosing the top ships and sailors in our fleet. See ALCOAST 281/19 for more details.
1) Full Name of Active Duty/Retired Cutterman (EMPLID if avail)
2) Email of Active Duty/Retired Cutterman
3) Rate/Rank today or at retirement
4) Years of Seatime
5) Desired category: All, Major Cutter, Minor Cutter, Superior Officer, Superior Enlisted
Thank you
Awards Coordinator
SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION
6564 Loisdale Court, Suite
Springfield, VA 22150
Phone: 703-960-6800
www.navysna.org
awards@navysna.org
Look, I know you are in trouble. As much as we might kid each other, when it is time to fight, I’m your best friend, and I want to help. But you seem in denial, or maybe you are just up to your ass in alligators, and too preoccupied to think about how I might help.
Numbers of ships is way down. You don’t even have enough escorts to protect the highest priority merchant shipping. You have had trouble bringing new classes on line. You are having trouble keeping the ships you have properly maintained, and you are having trouble manning the ships you have. Our shipbuilding industry has lost the ability to surge production of complex vessels. We don’t have enough trained mariners to man the shipping needed for a prolonged conflict.
It hasn’t mattered much since there has not been much competition, but that is changing.
The Chinese Navy is adding ships faster than you are. Their ships are starting to look very impressive. They have a robust ship building industry, and huge merchant marine and fishing fleets to backstop their Navy. They even have more Coast Guard ships than we do.
It that were not enough, the Russian Navy is rebuilding, although they are a long way from as capable as the old Soviet Navy, but, worst case, we might have to fight them both, along with some minor hangers-on who have their own scores to settle.
Meanwhile most of our allies, who may or may not help, have been coasting, letting their capabilities decline.
I know you are trying to fix this, but maybe I can help at least a little bit, if you will tell me what we can do.
——
USCGC Mellon seen here launching a Harpoon anti-ship cruise missile in 1990.
The Coast Guard used to be an armed naval force prepared for war. We came out of World War II with an ASW mission, and while our assets got older, the mission continued. In the late 80s we cut the number of ASW assets, but modernized the best of our ships, upgrading their ASW equipment and adding anti-ship cruise missiles.
Then, we all got a break. The Soviet Union collapsed and the need for ASW escorts pretty much disappeared. The Navy downsized and the Coast Guard removed all ASW equipment and the anti-ship missile.
We had almost 30 years without a major naval threat, but it looks like that is changing.
The US Coast Guard is the US Navy’s closest ally, but it seems there is little coordination between the two in defining Coast Guard roles in a major conflict. We certainly don’t see any evidence in the way the cutters are currently being equipped.
In terms of personnel, the Coast Guard is larger than the UK’s Royal Navy or the French Navy. The new cutters are comparable in many respects to frigates or corvettes. Looks like we are going to have 64 Webber class patrol craft similar in capabilities to the Navy’s Cyclone class. Plus we have over 200 aircraft.
A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 participates in forward arming and refueling point (FARP) operations during Arctic Expeditionary Capabilities Exercise (AECE) in Adak, Alaska on Sept. 18, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo
Being combat ready is one of the Coast Guard’s eleven missions, but obviously we are not.
Though there has been some thought regarding the use of Coast Guard assets for limited wars in the tradition of their use in Vietnam and the Gulf Wars, consideration of the possibility of a larger conflict is nowhere evident in the way these assets are currently equipped. They may not even be adequately armed to deal with the full range of terrorist threats.
Upgrading the Bertholf class NSCs and the Offshore Patrol Cutters could add up to 36 light frigates to the national fleet. The Navy would need to provide some additional equipment, but that cost would be far less than the cost of adding similar ships to the Navy, and the difference in operating costs between ships with or without the upgrades is very small.
The Bertholf class National Security Cutters and the Offshore Patrol Cutters share systems with the Littoral Combat ships and the planned FFG(X). Exploitation of some of the additional systems developed for the LCS should be possible. Huntington Ingalls has already done basic design work on upgrades to the National Security Cutter class as part of a marketing effort.
There are opportunities for synergy between the Coast Guard and the Navy reserve such as flying Navy ASW helicopters from Coast Guard ships.
The first of the Offshore Patrol Cutters has yet to be completed. Significant upgrades should be possible. The program is just getting started with the first of a projected 25 expected to be delivered in 2021. It may be possible to develop a more capable, better armed “B”class.
OPC “Placemat”
Potential Missions:
If we go to war, “If it floats, it fights” will apply to Coast Guard vessels as well as Navy. They need to be ready. We need to be equipped and trained for whatever the Navy wants us to do.
Estonian builder Baltic Workboats has delivered a newbuild vessel to Szczecin Pilot, a Polish harbour pilots’ association that operates primarily in the Szczecin-Swinoujscie region.
Baird Maritime brings us a report on a boat with characteristics very similar to a Motor Lifeboat, but with an additional capability I had not even thought about for this type vessel until now. It is ice capable.
“The hull is reinforced to withstand light ice conditions relevant to the southern Baltic and Danish waters, a necessity for the vessel’s operational area of Poland’s Świnoujście and Szczecin harbours. She can handle 30 centimetres (about 12 inches–Chuck) of broken ice or five centimetres (about 2 inches–Chuck) solid ice at up to five knots.”
The boat’s surface piercing bow design is claimed to reduce vertical acceleration 40% and improve fuel economy up to 30%.
Dimensions are:
Max Speed: 27 knots
The wheelhouse offers nearly 360-degree visibility. The captain has a center position with uninterrupted views of the deck and boarding areas with additional skylight windows.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 