The contract for NSC#5 has been awarded.
The ship will be named for Joshua James who at age 15, began a lifetime of public service, reportedly saving over 600 lives. He joined the US Life-Saving Service at age 62, and continued in the service until his death upon completing a drill at age 75.
Something interesting is happening between Israel and Turkey with maritime international law at the heart of the dispute. Informationdissemination has the story and additional commentary.
This goes back to the Gaza aid convoy that attempted to break an Israeli blockade, resulting in the death of nine Turks. Turkey is now threatening to escort the next attempt to break the blockade. Israel has been doing their best to make sure there is not another attempt.
Since data-linked interoperability is still an unresolved issue in the “Deepwater” program, thought there might be some interest in the Link 16 program here and an update here.
Lack of accurate estimates of the amounts of oil from the Deepwater Horizon blow out was a frequent criticism, so perhaps this method is good news.
Cdr. Edward Westfall, former CO of Escanaba, and now at the National War College, has managed to get his head above water long enough to pose a question over at Informationdissemination.
“So now to my rhetorical question, followed by a challenge to us all:
“In the foreign policy context, How is the Coast Guard an instrument of national power?
“The challenge question to all of you who believe you have an answer to the first (including me): What can we do to better pass that word to the broader public?”
Perhaps you would like to join the discussion.
Ryan Erickson has been busy over at the Naval Institute Blog, posting both a remembrance video to CG 6505, lost this day in 2008, and linking to the flicker page for the new CG HQ construction project.
Recent news, a group arrested for helping narco traffickers build their “subs” included former members of the Colombian Navy and at least one serving officer. Not really surprising that with the temptation of big money they have a few “bad apples,” but a cautionary tale.
USCGC Stratton, WMSL-752 was delivered on Friday, Sept. 2. More here.
Fabrication of USCGC Hamilton, WMSL 753, began two days earlier on August 31.
I have heard USCGC James, WMSL 754, will be contracted next week.
The Coast Guard has gotten its act together. Now, will Congress fully funds USCGC Stone , WMSL 755, in FY2013?
Background:
If you are new to this topic there is some good background here in the form of advice from the International Sailing Federation intended primarily for yatchsmen. “ISAF Warning Letter”.
Changing Tactic:
Too early to tell if this is a trend, but the pirates seem to be changing their tactics attempting to swamp the defenses of even armed vessels by using as many as twelve skiffs, “Pirates Hunting in Packs.” Chart here. This incident took place near Somali shores where it is easier to gather a large number of boats.
Frustrated by an armed guard while it was under way, pirates subsequently seized a chemical tanker after the armed guard had left, while the ship was anchored in port in Oman, taking 21 hostages. Chart here.
Geographic spread:
The pirates seem to be extending their reach to operate beyond the waters patrolled by naval forces. There is a report that they may now be exploiting a business arrangement with the remnants of the Tamil insurgency to allow them to operate south of India in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, “Recommended Reading “Deadly Business”-at American Shipper.”
Piracy also seems to be spreading to the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s Atlantic coast where oil is the prize.
A report carried by the Associated Press quoted Bergen Risk Solutions, a Norway-based consultancy:
“Our investigations indicate that the organized group responsible is based in Nigeria and has high-level patronage in that country,” it said, with prominent Nigerians having often been accused of involvement in the lucrative black market for oil and fuel. This cargo, Bergen suggests, has been sold in: “several West African ports, possibly including Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire and Port Gentil in Gabon.”
There are some indications that there is a recognition of the problem and a desire to address it, “Steps toward and Iintegrated African Coastguard” and “West African Piracy Cooperation.”
gCaptain offers some interesting ideas for the Coast Guard, and a challenge to find more, “Top 10 Technology Ideas for the Coast Guard.”
