Chuck Hill's CG Blog

Chuck Hill's CG Blog

Author Archives: Chuck Hill

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 11

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

Keeper Richard Etheridge (on left) and the Pea Island Life-Saving crew in front of their station, circa 1896.

1896  The crew of the Pea Island (North Carolina) Life-Saving Station, under the command of Keeper Richard Etheridge, performed one of their finest rescues when they saved the passengers and crew of the schooner E.S. Newman, after that ship ran aground during a hurricane.  Pushed before the storm, the ship lost all sails and drifted almost 100 miles before it ran aground about two miles south of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station.  Etheridge, a veteran of nearly twenty years, readied his crew.  They hitched mules to the beach cart and hurried toward the vessel. Arriving on the scene, they found Captain S. A. Gardiner and eight others clinging to the wreckage.  Unable to fire a line because the high water prevented the Lyle Gun’s deployment, Etheridge directed two surfmen to bind themselves together with a line.  Grasping another line, the pair moved into the breakers while the remaining surfmen secured the shore end. The two surfmen reached the wreck and tied a line around one of the crewmen. All three were then pulled back through the surf by the crew on the beach.  The remaining eight persons were carried to shore in this fashion. After each trip two different surfmen replaced those who had just returned.  For their efforts the crew of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal in 1996.  (From Wikipedia: Five months after Etheridge had taken charge of Pea Island Station, arsonists burnt the station to the ground…“In the following days, the Newman’s captain searched for and found the piece of the side that held the vessel’s name and donated it to the crew as an offering of his thanks. For a century, this would be the only award the Pea Island crew received for their efforts. The 1896 Pea Island crew voted to give the wooden sideboard of the Newman to Theodore Meekins, the young surfman who first spotted the distress signal and who swam out to the wreck several times during the rescue. (Fifth from left in photo.)”)

The first three fast response cutters—the USCGC Richard Etheridge (WPC-1102), Bernard C. Webber (WPC-1101), and William Flores (WPC-1103).
U.S. COAST GUARD

1897  Property saved at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  During a severe storm the surf threatened to wash away a fish house, with valuable nets and other gear.  Surfmen saved the property and took it to a place of safety.  They also assisted the Cape Hatteras lighthouse keeper to remove the lighthouse’s Fresnel lens to a secure place as the lighthouse was in danger of being knocked down by the sea.

141219-N-DX365-258
BAHRAIN (Dec. 19, 2014) Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, Det. 1, conducts a vertical onboard delivery with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maui (WPB 1304). HSC-26 is a forward deployed naval force asset attached to Commander, Task Force 53 to provide combat logistics and search and rescue capability throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joan E. Jennings/Released)

2013  CGC Maui, operating in the Persian Gulf as part of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia and assigned to Combined Task Force 152, rescued five Iranian mariners after they were fount adrift in a life raft in the northern waters of the Persian Gulf.  Maui’s crew later transferred the survivors to an Iranian Coast Guard vessel.

“Northrop Grumman Unveils the Next Generation of Bushmaster® Chain Gun®” –News Release

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Northrop Grumman’s M230LF Dual Feed Bushmaster® Chain Gun® will offer two feed paths that can switch between air burst and high explosive, dual purpose ammunition rounds. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Below is a news release from Northrop Gruman. The gun has been around since 1973 when developed for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, but the dual feed is new. While they say the single feed and dual feed share 60%-part commonality, that means they are 40% different so there are significant changes.

Dual feed is a big deal because it means a gun in a remote weapon station can now be ready to deal with both surface and air threats.

I’m pretty sure, the Coast Guard wants to be able to counter drone attacks–both air and surface. This weapon, used in a remote weapons system, is small enough to be considered a .50 caliber replacement, and it would be much more effective against both air and surface threats.

For the first time operators can change between advanced ammunition rounds with the flip of a switch
 October 09, 2024

PLYMOUTH, Minn. – Oct. 9, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), a leading manufacturer of medium-caliber cannons, is introducing its next-generation M230 Link Fed (M230LF) Dual Feed Bushmaster® Chain Gun®, offering two ammunition feed paths for the first time. This new 30x113mm medium caliber chain gun is a proven variant of the M230LF chain gun to counter uncrewed aerial threats (C-UAS) and ground engagements.

  • By offering a dual feed, the need for mixed ammunition belts in a single feed is eliminated.
  • The ability to switch between two kinds of ammunition is now possible. A standard recommended ammunition load includes XM1211 proximity fuzed rounds for C-UAS and XM1198 high explosive, dual purpose rounds for anti-armor capability.
  • The M230LF is currently at Technology Readiness Level 6. Meeting this threshold enables the capability to undergo live fire demonstrations that are currently scheduled for early 2025.

Northrop Grumman Unveils the Next Generation of Bushmaster Chain Gun

Northrop Grumman’s M230LF Dual Feed Bushmaster® Chain Gun® will offer two feed paths that can switch between air burst and high explosive, dual purpose ammunition rounds. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Expert:

Dave Fine, vice president, armament systems, Northrop Grumman: “The M230LF Dual Feed Bushmaster Chain Gun offers new flexibility by switching between ammunition paths using dual-feed technology. Using advanced technology combined with five decades of battle-proven experience, this next-generation cannon will empower operators to quickly respond to threats. This chain gun is the latest in our Bushmaster line to deliver reliable, multi-mission capabilities addressing the evolving threat environment.”

About the M230LF Dual Feed Bushmaster:

As the first medium caliber chain gun in the world to offer a dual feed, the M230LF brings flexible lethality to the evolving battlespace. The cannon’s system can instantly switch between ammunition paths, enabling operators to seamlessly address targets that require different 30x113mm ammunition types.

A dual feed system gives operators the option to change between advanced ammunition rounds with the flip of a switch, delivering increased mission flexibility and lethality. The ability to select between two different rounds ensures targets are addressed with the best ammunition for the target type saving time, reducing logistical burdens and allowing for more engagements before needing to reload the system.

For operators already using the M230LF, the Bushmaster loads out at a similar weight to the single feed M230LF and features 60%-part commonality, leading to faster routine repairs and decreased down time for maintenance. Single feed M230LF cannons will continue to be produced for customers that prefer that option.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 10

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

1798  Secretary Benjamin Stoddert, first Secretary of the Navy, sent the first instructions to cutters acting in cooperation with the Navy in support of the Quasi-War with France, via the various collectors of customs.

Original St Joseph boathouse, 1874 – station keepers like Napier were expected to sleep in their boathouses. Public Domain.

1877  Captain Joseph Napier, Keeper of Life-Boat Station No. 6 (St. Joseph, Michigan), commanded a rescue mission for which he was awarded a Gold Lifesaving Medal.  His citation reads: “for the daring gallantry he displayed in rescuing the crew of the schooner D. G. Williams, near the harbor of Saint Joseph, Michigan on the October 10, 1877.  The schooner lay stranded during a heavy gale on the outer bar, with the sea breaking over her, and her unfortunate crew of six men up in the rigging for safety. Captain Napier got together three volunteers, commandeered a boat, and pushed out for the wreck.  At the first attempt the boat was capsized in the breakers.  On the second try he reached the wreck and returned with two of the sailors.  The third trip the boat was completely filled with water, but was bailed and again reached the vessel, bearing off two men.  At the fourth attempt Captain Napier and his three assistants were thrown out of the boat by a furious surge and one of his legs was badly hurt.  One of the men swam ashore.  Another got a line flung to him from the wreck and was taken aboard.  Captain Napier and the other man, clinging to the boat, succeeded in righting and bringing it alongside the schooner.  They then took off the two remaining men of her crew, together with the man taken on board, and regained the shore in safety.  On other occasions Captain Napier was known to have shown equal heroism on desperate seas.  Most notable instance was his rescue of the crew of the schooner Merchant during a tempest in 1854.  For this feat he was presented with a gold watch suitably inscribed by citizens of Chicago.”  He was the first recorded Life-Saving Serviceman to be awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal.

USCGC Joseph Napier (WPC 1115)

1929  Clarence Samuels, commanding CG Patrol Boat AB-15, was promoted to Chief Quartermaster, thereby becoming the Coast Guard’s first African-American chief petty officer.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Clarence Samuels
First Hispanic of African descent commanding officer of a Coast Guard vessel during wartime

 

“Chinese Maritime Safety Officers Beat Vietnamese Fishermen During South China Sea Interdiction, Say Officials” –USNI

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Personnel from the China Maritime Safety Administration board and attack the crew of the Vietnamese fishing vessel QNg 95739 TS. Screenshot of a Maritime Safety Administration video released by SCSPI on Sept. 29, 2024. 

The US Naval Institute News Service reports an incident in which personnel of the China Maritime Safety Agency boarded a Vietnamese fishing vessel. The boarding was resisted by the Vietnamese fishermen (see the video below) and when the Chinese agents came aboard, they severely beat the fishermen with metal rods.

This is just another example of the Chinese attempting to intimidate their perceived enemies by using brutal, but usually less than deadly force. There have been conflicts with India and the Philippines at similar levels of violence. Chinese fishermen have also responded with similar levels of violence when being boarded by South Korean Coast Guard.

I am surprised this was done by the China Maritime Safety Agency rather than by the China Coast Guard. This may reflect an attempt by the Maritime Safety Agency to enhance its status in the Chinese government, perhaps even an effort to prove its continued relevance.

Where this happened is not stated. Presumably it was inside China’s self-declared Nine Dash Line, but outside China’s internationally recognized Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and probably within Vietnam’s EEZ.

 

 

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 9

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

Fresnel Lens at Point Arena Lighthouse Museum, Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County, California. Taken on 25 March 2012 by Frank Schulenburg

1852  The Lighthouse Board, which administered the lighthouse system until July 1, 1910, was organized. “This Board was composed of two officers of the Navy, two officers of the Engineer Corps, and two civilians of high scientific attainments whose services were at the disposal of the President, and an officer of the Navy and of the, Engineers as secretaries. It was empowered under the Secretary of the Treasury to “discharge all the administrative duties” relative to lighthouses and other aids to navigation. The Secretary of the Treasury was president of the Board, and it was authorized to elect a chairman and to divide the coast of the United States into twelve lighthouse districts, to each of which the President was to assign an army or navy officer as lighthouse inspector.” (The Lighthouse Board revolutionized coastal navigation.)

1858  The Secretary of the Treasury appointed a three-man board of U.S. Revenue Marine officers to consider a lifeboat design best adapted for life-saving work.

PC-590 Sea Trials. Source, Bob Daly/PC-1181/NavSource.

1945  Coast Guard manned patrol vessel USS PC-590 grounded and sank in typhoon off Okinawa.  All hands were rescued.

Okinawa, 9 October 1945. PC-590 breaking up in Typhoon Louise. Source: CDR John B. Payne, USNR, Ret. and NavSourcce.

1982  The first rescue using COSPAS/SARSAT occurred on this date when the trimaran Gonzo capsized 300 miles east of Cape Cod.  Gonzo’s ELT distress transmission was picked up by the Soviet COSPAS satellite and the sailing ship’s coordinates were transmitted to the U.S.  A Coast Guard HC-130 and a Canadian Air Force aircraft were directed to the scene and USCGC Vigorous safely rescued the three crewmen.  The new “space-age” satellite search-and-rescue system was a joint U.S., Canadian, French and Soviet project that at this time utilized a single Soviet satellite.

The components and operation of the Cospas-Sarsat system

1993  Crews from seven 8th District units and several civilian vessels joined forces in response to an explosion and fire aboard the 660-foot bulk-liquid carrier OMI Charger near the Houston Ship Channel.  She had no fuel aboard when the explosion occurred the night of October 9.  CGC Point Spencer served as the command platform and personnel and boats from ATON Team Galveston joined the response effort, which included fire-fighting, SAR, and pollution response assistance.  The fire was extinguished five hours after the initial explosion.  Two of the tanker’s crewmen were killed in the blast.  Personnel from the Gulf Strike Team arrive on scene on October 10 and determined that the vessel’s fuel was still all aboard.  It was removed prior to the vessel being towed to port where it was declared a total loss.  A joint Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board met to investigate the explosion.

OMI Charger. From Wikipedia: “On October 9, 1993, while the tanker was anchored at Boliver Roads near Galveston, Texas, work began on sealing a previously discovered leak in a cargo tank. When a crew member lit an arc welder inside a tank, it ignited gasoline vapors, causing a tremendous explosion which killed three crew members and injured seven. The subsequent fire burned for five hours, and the ship was a total loss.”

“Interview with the Chief of the Colombian Navy” –Naval News

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The 93-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) is the first OPV that was designed and built by national means in Colombia

Naval News has an excellent interview with Vice Admiral Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregon, Chief of the Colombian Navy. It covers many topics of common interest with the US Coast Guard.

He mentions an intelligence sharing system I was not aware of.

Currently, we have developed capabilities in information systems and software development, reaching a high degree of technological independence. This autonomy has allowed the creation of advanced technological solutions with our own resources, reflected in the digitalization and automation of processes. An important example of these advances is the development of the Orion Platform, which integrates drug trafficking information from more than 62 countries worldwide, registering alerts and operational results with real-time visualization and monitoring.

Simon Bolivar, Arctic-capable Research Ship (Colombian Navy photo)

Also discussed is Colombian Navy support of Antarctic research.

Illustration of the Colombian Navy’s future SIGMA 10514 frigate (Damen picture)

An accompanying illustration of one of the five Damen designed light frigates Colombia is building gives us a bit more indication of how they will be armed. There is a 76mm on the bow, a 16 cell vertical launch system, quad cruise missile launch tubes between the bridge and the stacks, and a BAE 40m Mk4 well aft on top of the hangar. They will probably have ASW torpedo tubes as well.

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 8

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

1847  To reduce the expenditures of the Treasury Department, Secretary of the Treasury Robert J. Walker ordered a reduction of the complements on revenue cutters.

Kaskaskia River, IL (Oct. 10, 1990)–The Coast Guard Cutter Sumac (WLR-311) on Kaskaskia River in Illinois. Photo by PA2 Robin Ressler

1986  Coast Guard units evacuated flood victims from the St. Louis area using punts, helicopters and trucks after the Mississippi and Missouri rivers flooded.  In all, 150 Coast Guardsmen participated in the emergency flood relief efforts.  Coast Guard units that sent relief teams were: MSO St. Louis; Base St. Louis; CGCs Sumac, Cheyenne, and Cimarron; ATON Facility Leavenworth, Kansas; 2nd District office; and Air Stations New Orleans and Traverse City.

USCGC Cheyenne

USCGC Cimarron

“Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Updated October 2, 2024” –CRS

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USCG Polar Security Cutter [Image courtesy Halter Marine / Technology Associates, Inc.]

The Congressional Research Service has once again updated their look at the Polar Security Cutter (heavy icebreaker) program. Also included are looks at the Great Lakes and Commercial Icebreaker procurement efforts. (See the latest version here.)

I have reproduced the summary below.

The news here is that there is so little news.

  • Polar Security Cutter, “The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the PSC program.”
  • Commercially available Polar Icebreaker, “The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the CAPI program.”
  • Great Lakes Icebreaker, “The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the program.”
  • Arctic Security Cutter (the Medium Icebreaker), the PSC is “to be followed at some later point (emphasis applied–Chuck) by the acquisition of new Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs)…“

GAO has been saying the Coast Guard cannot possibly build the Polar Security Cutters for the price currently contracted. The shipyard has been building some sample sections. I suspect that part of the reason is to find a more realistic estimate of how much they will cost. “If substantial cost growth occurs in the PSC program, it could raise a question regarding whether to grant some form of contract relief to the PSC shipbuilder.”

Note, there is still no publicly available information from the 2023 Fleet Mix study, other than the required number of icebreakers. Why not?

SUMMARY

Required number of polar icebreakers. A 2023 Coast Guard fleet mix analysis concluded that the service will require a total of eight to nine polar icebreakers, including four to five heavy polar icebreakers and four to five medium polar icebreakers, to perform its polar (i.e., Arctic and Antarctic) missions in coming years.

Current operational polar icebreaker fleet. The operational U.S. polar icebreaking fleet currently consists of one heavy polar icebreaker, Polar Star, and one medium polar icebreaker, Healy. A second Coast Guard heavy polar icebreaker, Polar Sea, suffered an engine casualty in June 2010 and has been nonoperational since then. Polar Star and Polar Sea entered service in 1976 and 1977, respectively, and are now well beyond their originally intended 30-year service lives. The Coast Guard plans to extend Polar Star’s service life until the delivery of at least the second Polar Security Cutter (PSC; see next paragraph).

Polar Security Cutter (PSC). The Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program aims to acquire four or five new PSCs (i.e., heavy polar icebreakers), to be followed at some later point by the acquisition of new Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) (i.e., medium polar icebreakers). The Coast Guard in 2021 estimated PSC procurement costs in then-year dollars as $1,297 million (i.e., about $1.3 billion) for the first ship, $921 million for the second ship, and $1,017 million (i.e., about $1.0 billion) for the third ship, for a combined estimated cost of $3,235 million (i.e., about $3.2 billion). The PSC program has received a total of about $1,731.8 million in procurement funding through FY2024. The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the PSC program. One oversight issue concerns the accuracy of the PSC’s estimated procurement cost, given the PSC’s size and internal complexity as well as cost growth in other Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding programs. If substantial cost growth occurs in the PSC program, it could raise a question regarding whether to grant some form of contract relief to the PSC shipbuilder. Another oversight issue concerns the delivery date for the first PSC: the Coast Guard originally aimed to have the first PSC delivered in 2024, but the ship’s estimated delivery date has been delayed repeatedly and may now occur no earlier than 2029.

Commercially available polar icebreaker (CAPI). The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2024 budget requested, and the FY2024 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act (Division C of H.R. 2882/P.L. 118-47 of March 23, 2024) provided, $125.0 million in procurement funding for the purchase of an existing commercially available polar icebreaker (CAPI) that would be modified to become a Coast Guard medium polar icebreaker. The ship the Coast Guard intends to purchase and modify is Aiviq, a U.S.-registered ship that was originally built to serve as an Arctic oil-exploration support ship, and which has an icebreaking capability sufficient for the ship to serve following modification as a Coast Guard medium polar icebreaker. The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the CAPI program. The Coast Guard’s FY2025 Unfunded Priorities List (UPL) includes an item for $25.0 million in procurement funding for the ship.

Great Lakes icebreaker (GLIB). The Coast Guard’s FY2024 budget initiated a program for procuring a new Great Lakes icebreaker (GLIB) that would have capabilities similar to those of Mackinaw, the Coast Guard’s existing heavy GLIB. The FY2024 DHS Appropriations Act (Division C of H.R. 2882/P.L. 118-47 of March 23, 2024) provided $20.0 million in procurement funding for the GLIB program. The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests no procurement funding for the program. The Coast Guard’s FY2025 UPL includes an item for $25.0 million in procurement funding for the program.

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 7

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

1986  An HC-130 from Air Station Elizabeth City located the disabled 44-foot Polish sailing vessel Gaudeamus with six Polish citizens aboard about 400 miles east of New York.  A motor vessel was on scene with Gaudeamus when it was found by the HC-130 and remained there until CGC Taney arrived the next day and took the boat in tow.  CGC Cape Henlopen rendezvoused with Taney and took over the tow to Newport, Rhode Island.  The Polish Embassy sent the Coast Guard a diplomatic note extending the thanks of the Polish government for the Coast Guard’s assistance in this case.

Former USCGC Taney now a Museum Ship in Baltimore

This Day in Coast Guard History, October 6

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Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

October 6

1881  At daylight the crew of Station No. 1, First District (Carrying Point Cove, West Quoddy Head, Maine), sighted a schooner at anchor some four miles east-southeast of the station.  She did not appear to be in distress, and as no signal was made it was supposed she had simply anchored to await the abatement of the winds, which at the time was blowing strong from the northwest.  The keeper ordered a close watch on the schooner, in case she should signal for assistance.  At 11 a .m. the lookout observed a boat leave her side and attempt to reach land, but the gale was too much for it and the effort had to be abandoned.  The boat returned to the schooner.  Upon arriving alongside, the keeper found the schooner to be Eclipse, of Eastport, Maine and that she had encountered a heavy squall the afternoon previous. It had split her sails and started her leaking badly.  In this condition they had anchored her during the night, about two miles from the land, her crew, three in number, being almost exhausted by their efforts to keep her free.  The life-saving crew at once turned to and pumped her out and made temporary repairs on the sails, and then worked her up into a safe harbor.

Astronaut Commander Bruce E. Melnick, USCG

1990  NASA astronaut and Coast Guard CDR Bruce Melnick (Academy class of 1972) made his first space flight when he served as a Mission Specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery on Space Shuttle Mission STS-41, which flew from CDR Bruce Melnick October 6-10, 1990.  Discovery deployed the Ulysses spacecraft for its five-year mission to explore the polar regions of the sun.  CDR Melnick was the first Coast Guardsman selected by NASA for astronaut training.

STS-41 Discovery — October 1990 — Mission Specialist 1 — Ulysses/Inertial Upper Stage solar probe deployment
STS-49 Endeavour — May 1992 — Mission Specialist 2 — Intelsat VI hand-retrieval and repair