Category Archives: 3rd Fleet

Polar Star is Home–Finally

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Polar Star at Mare Island Dry Dock LLC undergoing the fourth phase of its five-year Service Life Extension Project. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Cmdr. Jeremy Courtade.

Below are two news releases, first one from Coast Guard News, the second from the Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9).

The Coast Guard has been working very hard to make sure that Polar Star can meet her annual commitment to open a path for resupply of the Antarctic Base at McMurdo, but it has to have been hard on the crew. They just completed the fourth phase of a five-part Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), but unlike the single phase SLEPs and MMAs we are seeing with the buoy tenders and medium endurance cutters at the Coast Guard Yard, here the crew stays aboard. After 138 days on the resupply mission, instead of returning to Seattle, their homeport, they went to Vallejo, California, where they spent about 140 days. Altogether, 285 days away from homeport, and over a one-year period, more days in Vallejo than in homeport.

Polar Star has only one more of these to go, but it looks like the Crew of USCGC Healy is going to go through the same 5-year SLEP cycle, where they will spend more time in Vallejo than in their homeport. This is just wrong. There are only two yards on the West Coast that can accommodate ships of this size. The Navy, with its huge presence, is a strong competitor for the use of the one in Seattle. By contrast the Bay Area has virtually no Navy presence. It is likely the Icebreakers will have to use the yard in Vallejo for almost all their drydocking. Maybe it is time to change their homeport to somewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area, maybe even Vallejo.

Improvements are planned for Base Seattle, largely on the assumption that the Polar Security Cutters (PSC) will be based there, but they can expect to run into the same problem. Given the greater size of the PSCs and the long-term probability the Navy presence in Seattle will remain large and may well increase, the problem is not going away. The dry dock in Vallejo was built to accommodate battleships. It is big enough.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) (left) sits moored next to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) at Coast Guard Base Seattle, Aug. 25, 2024. The Polar Star and Healy are routinely deployed to Arctic and Antarctic locations to support science research or help resupply remote stations. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Chris Butters)

Aug. 28, 2024

Coast Guard heavy icebreaker returns to Seattle following Antarctic deployment, months-long Service Life Extension Project in California

SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew returned to Seattle, Sunday, after 285 days away from the cutter’s home port.

Following a 138-day deployment to Antarctica supporting Operation Deep Freeze 2024, the Polar Star reported directly to Mare Island Dry Dock (MIDD) LLC. in Vallejo, California, to commence the fourth phase of a five-year Service Life Extension Project (SLEP).

The work completed at MIDD is part of the in-service vessel sustainment program with the goal of recapitalizing targeted systems, including propulsion, communication, and machinery control systems, as well as effecting significant maintenance to extend the cutter’s service life.

Polar Star’s SLEP work is completed in phases to coordinate operational commitments such as the cutter’s annual Antarctic deployment. Phase four began on April 1, 2024, targeting three systems:

  • Boiler support systems were recapitalized, including the electrical control station that operates them.
  • The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system was refurbished through the overhaul of ventilation trunks, fans and heaters that supply the cutter’s berthing areas.
  • The flooding alarm system was redesigned, providing the ability to monitor machinery spaces for flooding from bow to stern.

Additional work not typically completed every dry dock included removing and installing the starboard propulsion shaft, servicing and inspecting both anchor windlasses, inspecting and repairing anchor chains and ground tackle, cleaning and inspecting all main propulsion motors and generators, installation of an isolation valve to prevent seawater intrusion into the sanitary system, and overhauling the fuel oil purifier.

Phase four of Polar Star’s SLEP took place over approximately 140 days and represented a total investment of $16.8 million. By replacing outdated and maintenance-intensive equipment, the Coast Guard will mitigate lost mission days caused by system failures and unplanned repairs. The contracted SLEP work items and recurring maintenance is taking place within a five-year, annually phased production schedule running from 2021 through 2025.

The Coast Guard is investing in a new fleet of polar security cutters (PSC) that will sustain the service’s capabilities to meet mission needs in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The SLEP allows Polar Star to continue providing access to the Polar regions until the PSCs are operational and assume the high latitude missions. Polar security cutters will enable the U.S. to maintain defense readiness in the Polar regions; enforce treaties and other laws needed to safeguard both industry and the environment; provide ports, waterways and coastal security; and provide logistical support – including vessel escort – to facilitate the movement of goods and personnel necessary to support scientific research, commerce, national security activities and maritime safety.

“Completing a dry dock availability is a positive milestone, and despite challenges due to being away from home port, our crew’s energy and resilience inspires me every day,” said Capt. Jeff Rasnake, Polar Star’s commanding officer. “The amount of time and effort put into Polar Star and its mission is truly remarkable. The dedication and teamwork displayed across all stakeholders exemplifies the Coast Guard’s flexibility and commitment to ensuring the continued success of Operation Deep Freeze as well as strengthened partnerships among nations invested in the Antarctic latitudes. I look forward to observing how this crew will continue to grow as a team and to discovering what we can accomplish together.”

Along with the rigorous maintenance schedule, Polar Star held a change of command ceremony on July 8, 2024, in Vallejo, where Rasnake relieved Capt. Keith Ropella as the cutter’s commanding officer. Rasnake served as the deputy director for financial management procurement services modernization and previously served as Polar Star’s executive officer. Ropella transferred to the office of cutter forces where he will oversee the management of the operational requirements for the cutter fleet and develop solutions for emerging challenges facing the afloat community.

Polar Star is the Coast Guard’s only active heavy polar icebreaker and is the United States’ only asset capable of providing year-round access to both polar regions.

Commissioned in 1976, the cutter is 399 feet, weighing 13,500 tons with a 34-foot draft. Despite reaching nearly 50 years of age, Polar Star remains the world’s most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker with the ability to produce up to 75,000 horsepower. Polar Star’s SLEP is important to the survival of the Antarctic mission and crucial to the well-being and success of Polar Star and crew during these long missions.

Aug. 30, 2024 —

Coast Guard completes fourth phase of service life extension work on Polar Star

Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star completed the fourth phase of its five-year Service Life Extension Project (SLEP) at the Mare Island Dry Dock LLC in Vallejo, California. The cutter departed the San Francisco Bay Area on August 22, for its homeport in Seattle.

The SLEP, a key initiative within the Coast Guard’s In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) Program, aims to extend the service life of the Polar Star by modernizing targeted systems, including propulsion, communication, and machinery control systems. Concurrent with the SLEP work, crews conducted significant maintenance efforts to ensure the cutter remains capable of operating within some of the most extreme environmental conditions on earth.

SLEP work on the Polar Star is conducted in phases to align with the cutter’s operational commitments, such as the cutter’s annual Antarctic deployment. Phase four began on April 1, 2024, focusing on the following systems:

  • Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems were refurbished with ventilation trunks, fans and heaters to improve air circulation and maintain comfortable living environment for the ship’s crew during extended deployments.
  • Boiler support systems were recapitalized, including the electrical control station that operates them to generate reliable heating and steam supply to the water maker.
  • The flooding alarm system was redesigned to enable the crew’s ability to monitor the ship’s machinery spaces for flooding from bow to stern.

Additional work completed during this phase, beyond routine dry dock maintenance, was critical to ensuring the Polar Star’s operational readiness. This included significant overhauls and inspections of key propulsion and anchoring systems that are essential for the cutter’s operational performance.

Kenneth King, Program Manager for the ISVS Program, commented on the milestone, saying, “I am tremendously proud of the joint In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program, the Long Range Enforcer Product Line team and their significant efforts in completing Phase 4. Our dedicated professionals continue to exemplify our service’s core values to ensure Polar Star meets its multifaced missions in the polar regions until the arrival of the Polar Security Cutter Fleet.”

For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program page and Polar Security Cutter Program page.

Change is Coming, “Coast Guard delivers first MH-60T to new Air Station Ventura” –News Release

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The first MH-60T medium range recovery helicopter to operate out of new Air Station Ventura lands on the station’s ramp on June 8, 2024. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Below is information from the Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9) website. The first new Coast Guard Air Station in 25 years, and a money saving approach that will organically produce 36 aircraft and transition eight air stations from MH-65 to MH-60T operations.

The new airstation replaces a Coast Guard Airstation San Francisco detachment that operated two H-65s out of a leased hangar at Point Mugu.

Aug. 23, 2024

The Coast Guard on June 8 delivered an MH-60T medium range recovery helicopter to the service’s first new air station in 25 years, Air Station Ventura, located at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, California. CGNR 6055 is the first of three MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters that will be delivered to the air station; all will be derived from Navy hull conversions completed by the Aviation Logistics Center (ALC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

This is the third delivery under the MH-60T Acquisition/Sustainment Program, which started as a service life extension program (SLEP) for the Coast Guard’s fleet of 45 Jayhawks. The program has since expanded to include increments for fleet growth as the service transitions to an all-MH-60T fleet.

Converted Navy hulls are one of the two hull sources being used in the program, along with newly manufactured hulls from the original equipment manufacturer, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. Low-flight-hour Navy HH-60H and SH-60F Seahawk hulls are structurally converted into the MH-60T configuration. The program also includes replacement of critical dynamic components, such as main rotor blades, and new electrical wire harnesses. All aircraft production – the assembly and installation of dynamic components on the hulls – is completed at ALC.

The deliveries to Air Station Ventura are the first under Increment 2, the first fleet growth phase of the program, which will organically produce 36 aircraft and transition eight air stations from MH-65 to MH-60T operations. Converted Navy hulls will form the majority of the aircraft to be produced under Increment 2, according to Reid Adams, program manager for the MH-60T Acquisition/Sustainment Program. He noted that Navy conversion hulls are cost effective, saving the Coast Guard at least $5 million per aircraft compared to purchasing new hulls. ALC also has developed efficiencies that have shaved months off the Navy conversion process; each conversion can now be completed in under one year.

“We were able to utilize completed Navy hull conversions that were already in storage to facilitate the Ventura stand-up; this allowed the program to save one year on the ability to stand up Ventura,” Adams said.

Crew members inspect the folding rotors on CGNR 6055 at Air Station Ventura. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The MH-60T delivered to Air Station Ventura includes main and tail rotor fold-capability, enabling the helicopter to be deployed and hangared aboard the national security cutter, as well as future offshore patrol cutters and polar security cutters. This is the first Jayhawk with this feature since the 1990s, when the smaller MH-65s were deployed. With the move to an all-MH-60T fleet, this capability is essential for aircraft that will be used to support cutter operations.

This is the third Navy conversion hull delivered to the fleet under the MH-60T Acquisition/Sustainment Program; the first went to Aviation Training Center Mobile in 2021 and the second to Air Station Clearwater in 2022, both in support of SLEP activities on the legacy fleet of 45 MH-60Ts and now incorporated as Increment 1 of the expanded acquisition/sustainment program. Thirteen additional Navy hulls are in various stages of work from structural conversion to completed and in storage.

Each conversion of Navy HH-60H and SH-60F Seahawk hulls takes over 1,500 separate maintenance cards for mechanics to follow. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

“The next 13 hulls will be used to fulfill the SLEP or fleet growth demands, as required; with the new hulls now in the mix, the program anticipates the majority of the converted Navy hulls to be utilized for fleet growth purposes,” Adams said. Three new hulls have been delivered of the 45 currently on order with Sikorsky.

Ventura marks the Coast Guard’s first permanent air station in the region since 2016. Prior to breaking ground for Air Station Ventura in 2021, the service conducted aviation operations from a forward-operating base at Naval Base Ventura County supported by Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco.

Air Station Ventura features a $70 million state-of-the-art 43,000-square-foot hangar and a 12,000-square-foot administration and berthing facility. At full capacity it will house three MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters and approximately 100 personnel, significantly enhancing the Coast Guard’s capabilities in the region.

The new Coast Guard Air Station Ventura and its MH-60T hangar is located at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, California. U.S. Coast Guard photos.

For more information: MH-60T Acquisition/Sustainment Program page.

“Coast Guard Cutter Kimball returns home following Bering Sea deployment” –CG News

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U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) conducts a passing exercise with the Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Regina while Kimball patrols the Bering Sea, July 18, 2024. During Kimball’s 122-day patrol, the crew also interacted with strategic partners in Victoria, Canada, strengthening relationships by focusing on shared interests in the Bering Sea and the expanding Artic region. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ensign James Bongard.

Below is a Coast Guard News release. It wasn’t like the ALPATs I remember. For one thing it was four months long. There was the interaction with the Canadian Navy, shadowing Chinese warships, engagement and community outreach during a port visit in Nome, but this caught my attention.

Kimball’s crew was instrumental in conducting a proof of concept fueling at sea with the Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco (WPC-1122), a fast response cutter (FRC) homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. This successful evolution extended the endurance of the Bailey Barco and resulted in Bailey Barco’s crew conducting over 10 vessel boardings in Bristol Bay, Alaska, an area not routinely accessed by FRCs due to logistical constraints.

Pacific Area has been pushing the envelope on employing the Fast Response Cutters, doing things never expected. A second set of eyes on patrol.

Aug. 7, 2024

Coast Guard Cutter Kimball returns home following Bering Sea deployment

HONOLULU — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) returned to their home port at Base Honolulu, Thursday, after completing a 122-day patrol in the Northern Pacific, Bering Sea, and American Arctic.

Kimball’s crew patrolled in support of Operation Alaskan Groundfish Enforcer, Alaskan Sentinel and Bering Shield, promoting maritime governance by enforcing domestic fishery regulations while countering illicit maritime activity from foreign fleets along the maritime boundary line.

Kimball’s crew detected four Chinese surface combatants operating in vicinity of the Amchitka and Amukta Passage within the U.S. exclusive economic zone in early July. Under Operation Frontier Sentinel, Kimball monitored the Chinese vessels, meeting presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska.

Kimball’s crew interacted with strategic partners in Victoria, Canada, strengthening relationships by focusing on shared interests in the Bering Sea and the expanding Artic region. Kimball’s command cadre met with senior leadership from the Royal Canadian Navy at the Canadian Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific headquarters, participating in geopolitical analysis briefs and roundtable discussions on enhancing joint maritime domain awareness in the Arctic. The visit included tours of the HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Corner Brook and culminated later in the patrol with a passing exercise with HMCS Regina, promoting interoperability with the Royal Canadian Navy and simultaneously advancing the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy through U.S. sea-service engagements.

Showcasing law enforcement expertise, Kimball’s crew ensured fishing vessels in the Bering Sea were within compliance of all federal fishery conservation laws and safety requirements through the completion of twenty living marine resources boardings. Kimball’s boarding team identified one vessel operating in violation of U.S. fisheries regulations, resulting in a $4,500 violation from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) office of law enforcement.

Kimball’s crew protected U.S. economic interests monitoring foreign fishing vessels along the maritime boundary line, preventing U.S. economic exclusion zone incursions. Kimball’s law enforcement teams conducted a joint boarding with Customs and Border Protection and NOAA of a foreign flagged reefer vessel to inspect fish bait being imported into the United States strengthening federal partnerships in the region.

While operating in the Bering Sea, the crew demonstrated the multi-mission agility of the national security cutter’s advanced command-and-control capabilities by coordinating Alaskan based Coast Guard air and surface assets, forming dynamic force packages that dramatically enhanced the nation’s offshore search and rescue (SAR) abilities. Kimball operated with a forward deployed MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and aircrew in Cold Bay, Alaska, and the District Seventeen command center to execute complex SAR exercises for improving, coordination, response times, and range of rotary Coast Guard assets to assist mariners in distress.

Additionally, Kimball’s crew was instrumental in conducting a proof of concept fueling at sea with the Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco (WPC-1122), a fast response cutter (FRC) homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. This successful evolution extended the endurance of the Bailey Barco and resulted in Bailey Barco’s crew conducting over 10 vessel boardings in Bristol Bay, Alaska, an area not routinely accessed by FRCs due to logistical constraints.

During port visits in Alaska, Kimball’s crew engaged with local communities. In Nome, crewmembers engaged with the tribal leadership and conducted two community outreach events, including public training and engagements for “Kids Don’t Float,” a statewide initiative to prevent youth drowning incidents. Kimball crewmembers demonstrated the importance of proper life jacket use and cold immersion survival. While in Dutch Harbor, crewmembers volunteered for community events including staging tents and site facilities for summer cultural camps.

“This crew excelled at operating in one of the harshest maritime environments, rising to the challenge of meeting presence with presence when encountering strategic competitors, ensuring the safety and security of U.S. fishermen, engaging with local communities, and providing overarching SAR coverage throughout the Bering Sea” said Capt. Robert Kinsey, Kimball’s commanding officer. “The Coast Guard is a key domestic and international Arctic security leader, shaping the region to promote rule of law and prevent foreign malign influence. I couldn’t be more proud of the crew’s professionalism, dedication, and ability to work together with our partners, foreign and federal, to deliver mission excellence for the American people.”

Commissioned in 2019, Kimball is one of ten commissioned Coast Guard legend-class national security cutters and one of two homeported in Honolulu. National security cutters are 418-feet long, 54-feet wide, and have a 4,600 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed more than 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, and can hold a crew of up to 170. National security cutters routinely conduct operations throughout the Pacific and Atlantic, where their combination of range, speed, and ability to operate in extreme weather provides the mission flexibility necessary to conduct vital strategic missions.

The namesake of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball is Sumner Increase Kimball, who was organizer of the United States Life-Saving Service and the General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service from 1878–1915. The ship’s motto is “Wield the Paddles Together: Work Together.”

“Q&A: Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander, Pacific Area and Commander, Defense Force West, U.S. Coast Guard” –Seapower

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Tiongson speaks at a press conference before the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche offloads 18,219 pounds of cocaine, worth more than $239 million, on Dec. 6, 2023. U.S. Coast Guard

The Navy League’s on-line magazine, Seapower, has an interview with the Pacific Area Commander. There is a lot of good information here.

HC-130Js (and C-27Js):

CGAS Sacramento will “transition” to HC-130Js. Pacific Area certainly needs the long range aircraft because, while 84% of the US EEZ is in Pacific Area they have only three fixed wing air stations (Kodiak, Barbers Point, and Sacramento) while Atlantic Area has five fixed wing air stations to cover only 16% of the US EEZ.

What will happen to the C-27Js? No mention was made of these. They might go to Guam. That would be helpful in providing fixed wing search aircraft in the Western Pacific. Recently there was a SAR case in the Western Pacific. A C-130 was dispatched from Barbers Point, but the flight was so long the crew needed a day’s rest before the aircraft could be used in the search. On the other hand, Guam might not be an optimal location since it is so far West. There are other options.

Fast Response Cutters:

As I read the statement, the intention is to have a total of six FRCs in Guam and add a fourth in Hawaii.

His discussion about these little ships clearly indicates that their nominal five-day endurance (same as the preceding 110 foot WPBs) is being exceeded regularly.

“The FRCs, first off, are game changers for the Coast Guard in general. Back in the day, we had patrol boats that were limited in terms of the sea states they could handle, the food that they could carry, the number of crew members and certainly their duration at sea. The FRCs have changed that.”

Six WPCs in the same port is not unusual. District 7 has three different ports, each homeport to six or seven Webber class, but this may be a move toward replicating a PATFORSWA type organization to support 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific.

Large Patrol Cutters:

There was a brief discussion of the Offshore Patrol Cutters, but no indication of when they are expected to arrive in PACAREA.

A second “Harriet Lane or Indo-Pacific support cutter” is on PACAREA’s unfunded priority list. For some reason, I think this may happen.

Commercial Icebreaker Procurement:

Plans for the commercial icebreaker (Aiviq) were discussed. It will be homeported in Juneau, as reported here in March, but still has not been purchased and it will take two years to complete changes to make it fully operational.

The admiral was asked, “Is the commercial icebreaker going to be crewed by Coast Guardsmen or by a contract crew?” and there was no definitive answer. Should the Coast Guard adopt a hybrid crew, as has been done by some Navy vessels it would be a major change in Coast Guard policy.

The Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone: 

Atlantic Area cutters are not assisting in Eastern Pacific drug transit zone interdiction efforts, as they normally would, because they are heavily engaged in migrant interdiction operations.

Trusted Partner:

The Area Commander talked a lot about what being a trusted partner meant, about partnerships with Asian coast guards, and the outsized effect of having a few good people in liaison positions.

USCGC Alex Haley Encounters Russian AGI

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The Navy League’s on-line magazine, Seapower, reports,

While patrolling the Aleutian Islands, the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) detected the vessel 30 nautical miles southeast of Amukta Pass, Alaska.

The Russian vessel was transiting in international waters but inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline. The Alex Haley did not communicate with the Russian vessel. The Alex Haley confirmed it to be a Russian Federation Vishnya-class naval vessel and followed the vessel as it transited east. An HC-130 air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak also observed the vessel.

The Vishnya class are intelligence gathering ships completed in the late 1980s, like the one pictured above.

The detection was made 30 miles SE of Amukta Pass (52°27′31″N 172°00′55″W). This is well East of Eareckson Air Force Base (52°42′44″N 174°06′49″E) on Shemya and the former US Naval Air Facility, Adak (51°52′41″N 176°38′46″W).

Distances from Dutch Harbor (53°54′10.5″N 166°31′06.2″W):

  • Shemya 802 miles
  • Adak 446 miles
  • Amukta Pass 242 miles

The report seems to say that Haley simply stumbled across this Russian vessel. This suggests that it had been inside the US EEZ for at least two days before it was detected. That probably is not something to get excited about, but there may, of course, be more to this than we are aware.

USCGC Alex Haley moored in Nome, AK.

“Inside the U.S. Coast Guard’s Aleutian encounter with China’s military — and what it means” –Alaska Beacon

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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball, right, and a Japanese naval training vessel travel near the island of Unalaska in 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The Alaska Beacon reports on the local reaction to the presence of Chinese ships in the Bering Sea, July 6 and 7.

The reaction clearly favored a more powerful and more visible response than a Coast Guard cutter and C-130.

So why use a cutter? Wouldn’t a destroyer or frigate be more appropriate?

A destroyer would have been faster, but the cutter is actually faster than the frigates the Navy is currently building.

The immediate answer is that there probably were no US Navy surface combatants in the vicinity, but would that have even been desirable?

What if they had suddenly become hostile?

Well, the cutter would probably have been sunk. That is a fact, but that is probably equally true of a destroyer outnumbered and taken by surprise at close range. Losing a cutter would be less of a loss and a prompt response from the Air Force would follow, probably quickly sinking the Chinese warships that have no fighter protection. That’s assuming they had not already been sunk by a US Navy submarine that may or may not have also been following them.

The US Navy just does not routinely keep surface vessels in the area of the Aleutians. Apparently, the Chinese were only there for two days. It would probably take longer than that for a USN combatant to make a transit, putting it out of position for its normal duties.

They were probably only doing this because the US does Freedom of Navigation Exercises in their backyard. But their response just plays into our narrative that we have every right to transit the Taiwan Straits–Look, they are transiting a narrow passage between US islands, and we didn’t object.

Would I like to see the cutters better equipped to defend themselves, sure, but it probably would not make any difference if they came to blows. Meanwhile the cutter makes a pretty good AGI. 

The Chinese are unlikely to start a war in the Aleutians unless they simultaneously also start it somewhere else, like Taiwan, but we still want to keep an eye on them, to discourage mischief.

Thanks to David for bringing this to my attention.

“U.S. Coast Guard encounters People’s Republic of China military naval presence in Bering Sea” –D17

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A Coast Guard Cutter Kimball crewmember observing a Russian Destroyer in the Bering Sea, September 19, 2022. Coast Guard Photo

Below is a District 17 (Alaska) news release. USCGC Kimball was doing the same thing two years ago. Last year the US Navy had four destroyers doing the shadowing. In 2021 it was Bertholf. Chinese warship operated legally off American shores back in 2015. NORTHCOM’s on-line magazine, The Watch, suggested how these visits should be viewed.

Two items of note, (1) this is a little earlier in the year than we have seen them in the past, (2) where are the Russians? Usually there are Russian ships with the Chinese.

This provides another example of how the National Security Cutters are taking on a role comparable to AGIs of the Soviet Era.

It is ironic and a bit funny that the Chinese are doing “freedom of navigation operations.”

I will note again that the nearest US Navy surface ship is probably at least 1000 miles away, probably in Japan.

July 10, 2024

JUNEAU, AK –The U.S. Coast Guard encountered multiple People’s Republic of China military ships in the Bering Sea, Saturday and Sunday.

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) detected three vessels approximately 124 miles north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands, and an HC-130J aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak detected an additional vessel approximately 84 miles north of the Amukta Pass.

All four of the People’s Republic of China vessels were transiting in international waters but still inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline.

“The Chinese naval presence operated in accordance with international rules and norms,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, Seventeenth Coast Guard District commander. “We met presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska.”

The Chinese vessels responded to U.S. Coast Guard radio communication and their stated purpose was “freedom of navigation operations.” Coast Guard cutter Kimball continued to monitor all ships until they transited south of the Aleutian Islands into the North Pacific Ocean. The Kimball continues to monitor activities in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone to ensure the safety of U.S. vessels and international commerce in the area.

The Coast Guard, in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, was fully aware of and tracked the Chinese naval presence. In September of 2021 and 2022, Coast Guard cutters deployed in the Bering Sea also encountered Chinese surface action groups.

The Kimball patrolled under Operation Frontier Sentinel, a Coast Guard operation designed to meet presence with presence when strategic competitors operate in and around U.S. waters. The U.S Coast Guard’s presence strengthens the international rules-based order and promotes the conduct of operations in a manner that follows international norms.

Coast Guard Cutter Kimball is a 418-foot legend class national security cutter homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro holds a change of command ceremony” –News Release

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Royal Navy vessel HMS Spey (P234) (foreground) conducts coordinated ship maneuvers with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) Sept. 17, 2023, in the South China Sea. Munro is deployed to the Indo-Pacific to advance relationships with ally and partner nations to build a more stable, free, open and resilient region with unrestricted, lawful access to the maritime commons. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Brett Cote)

Below is a news release. Routine change of command, but the Munro’s recent activities are interesting for their variety, three very different activities in widely dispersed areas, Eastern Pacific, Western Pacific, and far Northern Pacific. More info in these earlier news releases:

 May 31, 2024

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro holds a change of command ceremony

SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) held a change of command ceremony Thursday in San Diego.

Vice Adm. Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, presided over the ceremony in which Capt. James O’Mara IV relieved Capt. Rula Deisher as Munro’s commanding officer.

Deisher served as Munro’s commanding officer from May 2022 to May 2024, sailing over 73,000 nautical miles to 17 ports, including eight foreign countries during patrols in the Bering Sea, Western Pacific, and Eastern Pacific.

Most recently, Munro and the crew were responsible for the interdiction and seizure of illegal narcotics worth an estimated $460 million in wholesale value and over $2 billion in street value while patrolling the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force-South. Munro’s crew also supported Operation Southern Shield during their recent patrol by conducting 16 fisheries boardings in the Southern Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization convention area, upholding the maritime rules-based order.

During Munro’s Western Pacific patrol, the cutter and crew hosted multiple engagements with foreign partners, including a discussion about the SAPPHIRE agreement with Japanese Coast Guard officers, a subject matter expert exchange, an at-sea engagement with the Korea Coast Guard, and participated in CARAT Brunei, where Munro worked alongside the Royal Brunei Navy in professional subject matter expert exchanges, leadership conferences, and an at-sea engagement.

While patrolling the Bering Sea, Munro conducted 24 fisheries boardings and two search-and-rescue cases, including the medical evacuation of a critical patient from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to Anchorage, Alaska.

“To the crew of Munro, thank you,” said Deisher. “I am so proud of your endless dedication and care toward each other and our mission. This crew is phenomenal, and it has been an honor and privilege to sail with them and learn from them.”

Deisher’s next assignment is to serve as the Seventeenth District’s Response Division chief.

O’Mara, the incoming commanding officer, brings a wealth of experience to Munro.

Reporting from the Coast Guard’s Eleventh District as the Enforcement Branch chief, O’Mara oversaw assets across 1,000 miles of shoreline from the California-Oregon state line to the Mexico border and 73 federal waterways. He also worked closely with the Department of Defense Joint Interagency Task Forces and the Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force West to conduct effective drug and law enforcement interdiction efforts across the Eastern Pacific.

Munro will be O’Mara’s seventh ship and fourth command, following previous commands aboard the Coast Guard Cutters Active (WMEC 618), Farallon (WPB 1301), Monomoy (WPB 1326), and Narwhal (WPB 87335).

The change of command ceremony, a time-honored tradition, is a significant event conducted before the assembled company of a command. It confirms to the unit’s men and women that the authority of command is maintained. The ceremony symbolizes a transfer of total responsibility, authority, and accountability from one individual to another, marking a new chapter in the command’s history.

Commissioned in 2017, Munro is one of four Coast Guard Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda. National security cutters, measuring 418 feet long and 54 feet wide, boast a top speed of over 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, endurance of up to 90 days, and can hold a crew of up to 170. The advanced technologies of the national security cutter class ships support the national objective of maintaining the security of America’s maritime boundaries and providing long-range search and rescue capabilities.

NSC and FRC Participate in Navy COMTUEX

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USCGC Stone completes an Underway Replenishment.

The Navy League’s online magazine, Seapower, has a report on a recent Navy/Marine Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), “WASP ARG AND 24TH MEU COMPLETE JOINT FORCE’S MOST COMPLEX TRAINING,” that included an interesting note,

“U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) East, USCGC Stone (WMSL 758), and USCGC Angela McShan (WPC 1135) participated in numerous events alongside the Navy and Marine Corps team to train and increase proficiency.”

I think this is a bit unusual, so it raised some questions in my mind. Training for doing LE boardings is normal and using a Coast Guard patrol craft to play an opposing force would not be that unusual, but the presence of USCGC Stone, a national security cutter (NSC), seems out of the ordinary. Is this just a one off or is there significance for Coast Guard Defense Readiness planning? Was this an experiment?

This particular COMTUEX was also otherwise unusual because an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) does not normally have a destroyer attached.

So why would an NSC be involved? There are several possibilities, some mundane, some perhaps groundbreaking.

The post reports the training included, “events such as live-fire exercises, strait transits, maritime security exercises, amphibious landings, maritime interdiction, non-combatant evacuation operations, foreign humanitarian assistance, and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) engagements.”

  • We know Stone did an Underway Replenishment.
  • There was an opportunity for formation steaming.
  • It may have been an opportunity to do some cross deck helicopter operations.
  • If Stone is to be included in the upcoming RIMPAC exercise (June and July), this would have been a good tune-up.

Now I will offer a couple of more imaginative, some will say imaginary, possibilities.

If an amphibious operation is conducted, Coast Guard units might provide SAR in case any of the landing craft are sunk. An NSC with Helicopter(s) would make a good SAR commander, while FRCs could follow the landing craft close into the beach, just as cutters did during the Normandy invasion.

Until recently, ARGs have generally operated without escort vessels. While operating off the hostile shore of a near peer adversary would probably require more than one AAW escort, there may have been a recognition that even during long transits from the West Coast, there may be a submarine threat.

The destroyer in this case, USS Cole (DDG 67), was a Burke class Flight I. When they were designed, they were expected to accompany aircraft carriers that had both fixed and rotary wing ASW aircraft in their air wing, so their design did not include helicopter hangars. The carrier based fixed wing aircraft are no longer active, and an ARG does not normally include ASW helicopters. Having seen National Security Cutters hosting Navy H-60s during the last two RIMPAC exercises, perhaps pairing an NSC with a Flight I Burke class DDG could provide a roost for ASW helicopters near the center of the formation while allowing the DDG greater flexibility in its positioning. The cutter could also function as plane guard, following the big deck amphib the way an escort is normally assigned to follow a carrier in case an aircraft goes into the water.

(During the Second Gulf War a WHEC assigned to a Carrier Strike Group functioned as plane guard and also provided a TACAN beacon because the one on the carrier was inoperative. All the other escorts had departed the scene to be in position to launch a Tomahawk missile strike.)

Changing of the Guard, WPC for WMEC

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USCGC ALERT departing Astoria

Passing this along from the “Coast Guard Sea Duty Veterans” Facebook page. The post was by Bill James.

On Friday, 10 May, Cutter ALERT sailed beneath the Astoria-Megler bridge, crossed the Columbia River Bar, and proceeded south enroute to her new homeport of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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Simultaneously, the newly built CGC DAVID DUREN, one of the two 154’ USCG Sentinel Class cutters proceeded northward on its journey from Key West to its new homeport of Astoria, OR.
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This Thursday, 16 May, the two cutters passed close abroad in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. DAVID DUREN rendered passing honors and ALERT returned the salute, thereby properly relieving ALERT’s 30-year watch to the first of two Sentinel Class Cutters to be stationed in Astoria.

USCGC DAVID DUREN (WPC-1156) Renders Passing Honors