The first three fast response cutters—the USCGC Richard Etheridge (WPC-1102), Bernard C. Webber (WPC-1101), and William Flores (WPC-1103). Credit U.S. COAST GUARD. In case of a maritime terrorist attack, Webber class Fast Response Cutters are likely to be the most potent response the Coast Guard would be able field.
Why is it that the Coast Guard has not mounted missiles or torpedoes on their ships since about 1991?
Currently the US Coast Guard’s most powerful weapons are the 57mm Mk110 and the 76mm Mk75. Do they assure that the Coast Guard will be able to take actions inherent in Coast Guard missions, including the ability to forcibly stop any vessel–any vessel— regardless of size? Will the larger cutters mounting these weapons even be in the vicinity when needed? When called upon, will the units on scene have any effective weapons?
I don’t think so. In fact, we are less capable of doing so than we were in the 1930s.
When asked about this in 2020, then Commandant, Admiral Fagan, is reported to have said essentially, “For the present time, the U.S. Coast Guard is satisfied with keeping the current ‘gun and no missiles’ weapons fit the same and exercising the White-Hull Humanitarian symbol of Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement wherever and whenever the large Coast Guard Cutters sail into far off seas.”
My response at the time was here. I recognize some advantage in being seen as non-threatening, but few people would mistake even a missile armed Cutter for an invading force, and torpedoes are useless against targets on land. Coast Guard cutters overseas missions are primarily law enforcement. In the future, cutters may be in gray zone conflicts with the aggressive China Coast Guard–the largest coast guard fleet in the world, which usually operates cutters in groups. We don’t want USCG cutters to look like they can be pushed around.
Looking helpless may not inspire confidence in our allies.
This Chinese coast guard ships armed with 76mm and 30mm guns© Kyodo
Wartime:
It seems likely that, if the US has a conflict with China, one of the first things the Coast Guard will have to do is seize all Chinese owned/flagged/manned vessels in US waters. Naturally some will resist. The Coast Guard will need to be able to overcome any resistance without asking for help from other armed services because they will be busy elsewhere.
As the conflict develops, it it likely the Coast Guard will be involved in blockade operations and otherwise tasked with hunting down Chinese controlled shipping that might be carrying agents, special forces, mines, or even containerized missile launchers.
We are not just talking about small vessels here. Some are over a thousand feet long and there are hundreds of them.
Law Enforcement/Counter-Terrorism:
Coast Guard vessels patrol boat size and larger are not just SAR assets. They are law enforcement units and in wartime combatants. Included in their peacetime law enforcement role is counter terrorism.
Wise men learn from the mistakes of others. Consider the lessons to be learned from the response to attacks on 9/11 and the North Hollywood shootout.
9/11: We knew about kamikazes. We knew airplanes loaded with fuel could be used as weapons. We knew that big planes were more destructive than small ones.
Domain awareness failed when the aircraft turned off or changed their transponder codes. Communications between FAA and NORAD were poor. Interceptors were too few and too far between. Interceptors once launched were sent in the wrong directions. Managers focused on the first attack, which was then already over, refused to receive a report of the second attack in progress.
Too many layers of decision making between detection and action. For timely action, best if the unit that detects an attack can respond immediately, and Coast Guard units are likely to be the first to recognize a maritime terrorist attack.
North Hollywood Shootout:
“The North Hollywood shootout, also known as the Battle of North Hollywood, was a confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, and police officers in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997.
In this case the response to the crime was prompt but inadequate. At the time, the police on patrol were generally armed with only the classic 38 Special revolver, 9mm handguns, and a few shotguns. The bank robbers armor was impervious to these weapons. The robbers carried automatic rifles with high capacity magazines with up to 100 rounds. The two robbers fired approximately 1100 rounds. Some police officers even reequipped themselves with weapons from a local firearms dealer.
An inventory of the weapons used by the two bank robbers:
- A Bushmaster XM-15 converted illegally to fire full auto with two 100-round Beta Magazines and fitted with a M16A1-style handguard
- A Heckler & Koch HK-91 semi automatic rifle with several 30-round magazines
- A Beretta 92FS with several magazines
- Three different civilian-model Norinco Kalashnikov-style rifles converted illegally to fire full auto with several 75- to 100-round drum magazines and 30-round box magazines
The police were ultimately successful because of the overwhelming response. Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to the citywide tactical alert, but they were really not prepared to confront just two men who were armed or protected in ways they did not expect. The perpetrators, Phillips was shot 11 times, including his self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chin, while Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times. Twelve police officers and eight civilians were injured.
If terrorist sage a maritime attack, it is unlikely to be what the Coast Guard has trained for. Coast Guard capabilities are public knowledge. Ballistic protection to protect terrorist operators or shooters against common Coast Guard weapons is relatively easy.
Terrorist can easily put protected firing positions and strong points on a ship, even if the Coast Guard has not done it.
Tests have shown that 25mm Mk38 rounds may not even penetrate a quarter inch of aluminum.
Even relatively small terrorist controlled vessels could be armed with a variety of weapons more destructive than the .50 caliber machine gun or the 25mm gun. RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) are common, but there are recoilless rifles, heavy machine guns, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns up to 152mm, and anti-tank guided missiles that would also work well against a cutter, that are widely distributed.
Here are two examples. Both are widely available, compact, and hard hitting. The options are almost endless.
122mm howitzer D-30 (2A-18) Chief Designer F. F. Petrov (1960) Maximum range: 15300 meters Rate of fire: 6 – 8 rounds per minute Mass: 3200 kg Shell mass: 22 kg. Photo credit George Shuklin
The 122-mm howitzer D-30
… is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in 1960. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions. The D-30 has a maximum range of 15.4 km (9.6 mi) or 21.9 km (13.6 mi) using rocket-assisted projectile ammunition.
With its three-leg mounting, the D-30 can be rapidly traversed through 360 degrees. Although no longer manufactured in the countries of the former Soviet Union, the D-30 is still manufactured internationally and is in service in more than 60 countries’ armed forces.
Finnish D-30 in direct fire during a training exercise. Photo credit: Jaakko Pulkkinen
Map of D-30 operators in blue with former operators in red. From Wikipedia. Credit: Jurying
9M133 Kornet:
9M133 Kornet. Control check of cadets of the Training Center for Combat Use of Missile Troops and Artillery of the Ground Forces of the Western Military District (Moscow Region).
The 9M133 Kornet (Russian: Корнет; “Cornet”, NATO reporting name AT-14 Spriggan, export designation Kornet-E) is a Russian man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) intended for use against main battle tanks. It was first introduced into service with the Russian army in 1998.
The Kornet is among the most capable Russian ATGMs. It was further developed into the 9M133 Kornet-EM, which has increased range, an improved warhead, and equipped with an automatic target tracker (fire-and-forget capability).
The Kornet has been widely exported and is produced under license in several countries. It was first used in combat in 2003 and has since been used in many conflicts.
Kornet-EM missiles truck mounted Kornet-D launcher. Credit: Mike1979 Russia. Looks like this could be easily mounted in a container.
Map with 9M133 operators in blue. Author: Jurryaany
NON-STATE USERS:
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 