The February, 2023 edition of the US Naval Institute Proceedings has an article with implications for the coast guards of many smaller nations forced to deal with state supported theft of their natural resources (China we are looking at you).
Maybe it is time to bring back net cutters.
Coast Guard’s ninth national security cutter (NSC), USCGC Stone, October 2020. Photo by Lance Davis of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Below is an Atlantic Area News Release. Looks like USCGC Stone is taking the counter IUU road show to the South Atlantic Coast of South America a second time. The first time she did this was before she had even been commissioned and after a long quarantine for COVID. The press release reporting the conclusion of their Previous South American voyage is here.
More info about their previous South American adventure:
Suape is part of the Recife metropolitan area. Recife is located on the most Eastern part of South America where it projects toward Africa. During WWII Brazil was an allied nation, declaring war on the Axis 22 August 1942. US Navy ships and aircraft based in Recife and nearby Natal patrolled this narrowest part of the Atlantic to intercept Axis blockade runners.
| News Release |
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area |
Expanding partnerships: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone arrives in Port of Suape, Brazil
Editors’ Note: To view more or download high-resolution photos, click on the images above.
SUAPE, Brazil – The USCGC Stone (WMSL 758) arrived in the Port of Suape, Pernambuco, Brazil for a scheduled port visit Monday.
This port visit marks the first stop for Stone on its scheduled multi-mission deployment in the South Atlantic to counter illicit maritime activities and strengthen relationships for maritime sovereignty throughout the region. This visit also highlights the partnership between U.S. and Brazil to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
“All nations benefit from free and open access to the maritime domain,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Clinton Carlson, Stone’s commanding officer. “It’s a real privilege to work with Brazil’s maritime forces as we increase our interoperability and work together to uphold the rules-based international order at sea.”
Stone last deployed to the South Atlantic from December of 2020 to February of 2021. During the deployment, Stone operationalized the U.S. Coast Guard’s Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Strategic Outlook, published in September of 2020.
“Our current deployment seeks to deepen our interagency and international partnerships,” said Carlson. “We have embarked personnel augments from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as well as representatives from the Brazilian Navy to enhance our capabilities. In leveraging our connections at home and abroad, we provide a flexible, mobile and integrated team capable of enforcing international laws, ensuring regional security and safeguarding free and open access to the sea for all law-abiding nations.”
The United States and Brazil enjoy active, cooperative relations encompassing a broad span of internationally shared political and economic concerns. Ten bilateral agreements signed in March 2011 and five more signed in April 2012 codified the nations’ shared commitment to maritime security and environmental stewardship in the Atlantic Ocean. Both countries participate in the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which studies and manages highly migratory fish species and can facilitate the enforcement of conservation and management measures regarding fish covered by the commission.
Stone is the ninth Legend-class national security cutter in the Coast Guard fleet and currently homeports in Charleston, South Carolina. The national security cutters can execute the most challenging national security missions, including support to U.S. combatant commanders.
Stone is under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. Based in Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. In addition to surge operations, they also allocate ships to work with partner commands and deploy to the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific to combat transnational organized crime and illicit maritime activity.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.
DAKAR, Senegal – U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Forni, executive officer aboard USCGC Spencer (WMEC 905) and Lt. Jacob Balchikonis, operations officer aboard Spencer, meet with Lt. Col. Sam Kunst, U.S. Marine Corps Attaché to Dakar, Senegal, Jan. 17, 2023. Spencer is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of responsibility, employed by the U.S. Sixth Fleet, to carry out joint training, exercises, and maritime security operations alongside AFRICOM partners in support of U.S. interests abroad, regional partnerships, and to strengthen international maritime governance. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
The activities reported in the news release below have become a fairly routine deployment for Atlantic Area 270 foot WMECs. I expect Spencer will also participate in Exercise Obangame Express 2023.
By U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet
Spencer’s visit to Dakar included meetings with Capt. Karim Mara, Senegalese deputy chief of naval staff, as well as leaders from the Senegalese Navy and the U.S. Office of Security Cooperation. Prior to the port visit, Spencer embarked maritime counterparts from Cabo Verde, Senegal and The Gambia for a security patrol to identify and deter illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing as well as build living marine resource enforcement capacity with African partner nations.
“We were able to build maritime domain awareness with our partners by establishing an offshore law enforcement presence that demonstrated Cabo Verde’s, Senegal’s, and The Gambia’s commitment to maritime security and living marine resource enforcement. We did this by conducting combined maritime law enforcement operations and effectively communicating and coordinating with each country’s Maritime Operations Center,” said Cmdr. Corey Kerns, Spencer’s commanding officer.
This deployment demonstrates NAVAF and the U.S. Coast Guard’s commitment and longstanding partnership to work with our African partners to counter illicit maritime activity in the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard regularly integrates and operates within the NAVAF area of operations. The U.S. Coast Guard’s authorities and capabilities provide the Joint Force with unique tools that bridge the cooperation-to-conflict continuum.
Senegal and the United States share a proud history of promoting peace and security in Africa. Later this month, Senegal will participate in the NAVAF-led exercise Obangame Express 2023, the largest annual maritime security exercise in Western Africa. These types of exercises strengthen partnerships and allow countries to work more closely on shared transnational maritime challenges.
“The United States and Senegal enjoy an exceptional security partnership that bolsters our shared efforts to promote peace and security in West Africa, combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and protect marine resources,” said Mike Raynor, U.S. Ambassador to Senegal. “The arrival of USCGC Spencer to Dakar reflects that robust partnership.”
The U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent, because these waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf, spanning across five Coast Guard districts and 40 states.
For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spencer (WMEC 905) underway on patrol in the Eastern Pacific, January 2021. The crew covered over 11,000 miles seizing over $10 million of drugs and assisted in disrupting transnational crime organizations. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo/Released)
Below is an Atlantic Area news release reporting the arrival of Cutter Spencer for operations off West Africa. This is getting to be almost routine, and it seems to have become a regular assignment for 270 foot WMECs. As can be seen by these previous reports, Spencer was preceded by Mohawk, Bear, and Thetis.
These operations, as well as those in the Western Pacific and SW Asia, demonstrate a recognition of the Coast Guard’s utility as an instrument of foreign policy and show that smaller cutters can be used in some of these roles, in some cases, reaching ports larger vessels might not be able to enter.
| News Release |
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area |
USCGC Spencer (WMEC 905) arrives in Praia, Cabo Verde
Editors’ Note: To view more or download high-resolution imagery, click on the photo above
By U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet
PRAIA, Cabo Verde – The Famous-class medium endurance USCGC Spencer (WMEC 905) arrived in Praia, Cabo Verde for a scheduled port visit Monday.
This port visit marks the first stop for Spencer, while employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) area of operations. Spencer’s visit to Praia demonstrates NAVAF and the U.S. Coast Guard’s commitment and longstanding partnership to work with our African partners to counter illicit maritime activity in the Atlantic Ocean. During the port visit, Spencer will embark maritime counterparts from Cabo Verde, Senegal and The Gambia.
“The crew is excited for this unique opportunity, and we look forward to working with our partners to regulate fisheries and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing,” said Cmdr. Corey Kerns, Spencer’s commanding officer.
The U.S. Coast Guard regularly integrates and operates within the NAVAF area of operations. The U.S. Coast Guard’s authorities and capabilities provide the Joint Force with unique tools that bridge the cooperation-to-conflict continuum.
Cabo Verde is an important partner of the United States in promoting peace and security in Africa. In December 2022, the U.S. and Cabo Verde signed a memorandum of understanding for defense cooperation between the two countries, which will focus on continuing to counter illicit maritime activities through security cooperation. Later this month, Cabo Verde will participate in the NAVAF-led exercise Obangame Express 2022, the largest annual maritime security exercise in Western Africa. These types of exercises strengthen partnerships and allow countries to work more closely on shared transnational maritime challenges.
“The U.S. Embassy in Praia proudly welcomes the arrival of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spencer to Cabo Verde. This ship visit is yet another example of the growing cooperation between U.S. and Cabo Verdean maritime forces, which is improving safety and security for our two nations and the entire region,” said Jeff Daigle, U.S. Ambassador to Cabo Verde.
The U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent, because these waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.
In April 2022, as part of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP), the U.S. and African maritime forces, led by Cabo Verde, worked in coordination with the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N), the International Police (INTERPOL), and Cabo Verde’s national Maritime Operations Center (COSMAR) to conduct a compliant boarding of a fishing vessel, which led to the seizure of approximately 6,000 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $350 million.
The Famous-class medium endurance cutters support the U.S. Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement and search and rescue missions. These cutters are capable of supporting flight operations with either a MH-65 Dolphin or a MH-60 Jayhawk.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf, spanning across five Coast Guard districts and 40 states.
For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
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MARINETTE, Wis. (Dec. 6, 2018) The future littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15) conducts acceptance trials on Lake Michigan, Dec. 6, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Marinette Marine/Released)
“… Congress is tasking U.S. Southern Command with studying the feasibility of permanently assigning four to six LCSs to the combatant command.”
Is this likely?
Frequently nothing comes of these Congressionally mandated studies, but I suspect this may happen because it would complement the plan to replicate the 5th Fleets international unmanned effort, Task Force 59, in 4th Fleet.
What will not change?
Assigning up to six LCS to 4th Fleet probably would not increase the number of Navy ships underway in the SOUTHCOM Area of Operations (AOR). As the post points out, LCS are already routinely assigned to SOUTHCOM’s 4th Fleet. Typically, there is at least one and normally two doing drug interdiction with an embarked Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment.
Navy combatants are typically deployed less than a third of the time and underway less than 25% of the time, so six would be translate to no more than two regularly deployed. Of course, the Navy could temporarily assign other LCSs to 4th Fleet.
All the LCSs that I have heard of operating under 4th Fleet have been Freedom class monohulls like the Billings pictured above. These ships are based Jacksonville. I would not expect their homeport to change.
What might change?
4th Fleet wants to be the Fleet of Innovation. For evaluating advances in Maritime Domain Awareness, they have the unique advantage of a full time, highly motivated opposition force that is always testing their capabilities in the form of drug smugglers.
Having four to six LCS permanently assigned to 4th Fleet would provide a continuity of experience that the current system does not allow. That continuity would likely enhance both their law enforcement operations and allow progressively more complex experimentation. The vessels might be provided with better accommodations for the Law Enforcement Detachments and additional facilities for detainees and storage of seized contraband. They might operate more frequently with embarked Coast Guard airborne use of force helicopters.
V-Bat from Martin UAV
While they have had their problems, LCS are uniquely suited for operating unmanned systems. This might include operations in support of unmanned surface vessels like Saildrones and small unmanned aircraft like V-Bat.
A Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel operates alongside U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) in the Arabian Gulf, Nov. 29, during Digital Horizon 2022. (Sgt. Brandon Murphy/US Army)
Continuity in 4th Fleet operations might also extend to disaster response and IUU fisheries enforcement, both of which might benefit from use of unmanned systems.
Not called for the study, but a Navy oiler operating in 4th Fleet would be a real plus. The Freedom Class LCSs have relatively short range and can quickly run out of fuel if operated at high speed. An oiler might also make operating Webber class WPCs in the Eastern Pacific more practical.
Thanks to Walter for bringing this to my attention.
Coast Guard Day in the South Pacific. The command from USCGC Walnut (WLB 205) conduct an exchange with peers on HMNZS Otago (P148) discussing mission, challenges and comparing shipboard life in the region while off Samoa Aug. 4, 2019. The Walnut and Otago crews are in the region combating illegal fishing, a part of promoting maritime governance and a rules based international order that is essential to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Photo courtesy HMNZ Navy Lt. Samuel Murray/Released)
“Three of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s nine ships are now docked at the Devonport naval base indefinitely, due to insufficient personnel.”
Recruiting problems for the US have been in the news, but it is not uncommon. US Coast Guardsmen are helping to man Royal Navy frigates. Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force is having trouble recruiting. US Navy ships are frequently shorthanded.
HMNZS Wellington first arrival into Devonport Naval Base
What struck me about the story was the choice of ships laid up. New Zealand has chosen to lay up three of its four patrol vessels, retaining only one of the least capable. The New Zealand Navy is small, and it does coast guard tasks as well as national defense. The entire fleet consist of nine ships:
Inshore patrol boat HMNZS Hawea (P3571) entering Otago Harbour, New Zealand, Aug. 2009. Photo credit: Benchill
New Zealand has been helpful to neighboring Pacific island nations in regard to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing and disaster response. Hopefully they will continue in this role, perhaps using their multipurpose vessel and/or their underway replenishment ship which also provide unique capabilities.
GULF OF AQABA (Feb. 13, 2022) The U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class cutter USCGC Glen Harris (WPC 1144) sails near a U.S sail drone explorer during the International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express (IMX) 2022, Feb. 13, 2022. IMX/CE 2022 is the largest multinational training event in the Middle East, involving more than 60 nations and international organizations committed to enhancing partnerships and interoperability to strengthen maritime security and stability. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. DeAndre Dawkins)
Defense Scoop reports:
“The Navy plans to stand up additional unmanned task forces around the globe modeled after Task Force 59 in the Middle East, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told reporters Saturday…“We’ve demonstrated with Task Force 59 how much more we can do with these unmanned vehicles — as long as they’re closely integrated together in a [command and control] node that, you know, connects to our manned surface vehicles. And there’s been a lot of experimentation, it’s going to continue aggressively. And we’re going to start translating that to other regions of the world as well,” Del Toro said during a media roundtable at the Reagan National Defense Forum.”
The report goes on to mention 4th Fleet and Oceana specifically, both regions of intense interest to the Coast Guard in regard to drug interdiction and Illegal, Unregulated, Unreported (IUU) fishing respectively.
This could be a big boost to our Maritime Domain Awareness. In the Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone we might need uncrewed surface vessels with passive acoustic sensors since the targets of interest are poor targets for radar and optical sensors. That could lead to practical experience that could improve our ASW capability.
Certainly this will involve more “capacity building” and possibly more equipment transfers, but, perhaps more importantly, the US is sharing intelligence with the Philippines and other SE Asian nations to enhance maritime domain awareness.
I hope this will be another step toward a law enforcement alliance, a “Combined Maritime Security Task Force, Pacific,” perhaps following the model of the “Combined Maritime Force” in SW Asia.
Thanks to Xavier Ng for bringing this to my attention.
In this photo made available by the U.S. Coast Guard, guardsmen from the cutter James, seen at background right, conduct a boarding of a fishing vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, on Aug. 4, 2022. During the 10-day patrol for illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing, three vessels steamed away. Another turned aggressively 90 degrees toward the James, forcing the American vessel to maneuver to avoid being rammed. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Hunter Schnabel/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
The Associated Press is reporting,
“…a heavily-armed U.S. Coast Guard cutter sailed up to a fleet of a few hundred Chinese squid-fishing boats not far from Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. Its mission: inspect the vessels for any signs of illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing…But in this case, the Chinese captains of several fishing boats did something unexpected. Three vessels sped away, one turning aggressively 90 degrees toward the Coast Guard cutter James, forcing the American vessel to take evasive action to avoid being rammed.”
Of course there is much more to the story.
SkyTruth Fishing Watch. https://www.skytruth.org/mapping-global-fishing/
Under NOAA auspices, the U. S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing has issued a five year strategy to address IUU fishing.
There are three identified objectives:
Five nations have been identified as priorities for development of self sufficiency in the prevention of IUU fishing: Ecuador, Panama, Senegal, Taiwan, and Vietnam. These “Priority States” were selected because their “…vessels: “actively engage in, knowingly profit from, or are complicit in IUU fishing” and, at the same time, the priority flag state “is willing, but lacks the capacity, to monitor or take effective enforcement action against its fleet.”
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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 8, 2009) The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare (WMEC 912), left, patrols along side the Senegalese Navy vessel, Poponquine, during joint operations as part of the Africa Partnership Station. The Legare is deployed off the west and central coast of Africa for the six-day joint U.S/Senegalese operation, during which several Senegalese naval vessel boarding team members embarked aboard the Legare and participated in joint boarding and training exercises. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas M. Blue/ Released)
It is likely the Coast Guard will be spending time helping these states build capacity in their navies, coast guards, or maritime police.
The Missing Air Element
One of the great strengths of the US Coast Guard is its fleet of fixed wing aircraft. They provide an essential detection capability. An air search capability allows the patrol vessels to do less searching and more boardings. Most smaller nations’ maritime law enforcement agencies have only limited, or in many cases, no comparable organic air search capability. Frequently, if they are to have an air search, they require cooperation of another service.
What I have seen of our capacity building efforts, seem to have been focused on surface operations and boarding team work.
Recognizing fishing vessels is not in the skill set of most air force crews. Frequently communications between surface vessels and air units are not compatible. In many air forces their aircraft virtually never go out over blue water.
The US Coast Guard could certainly help build capacity on the air side, as well as the surface side of the IUU fishing problem.
Land based Unmanned Air Systems now appear to be a way maritime law enforcement agencies might have an organic fixed wing air search capability at a lower cost. Unfortunately the US Coast Guard still is not particularly experienced in this area. The Japanese Coast Guard might be able to provide valuable advice to at least Taiwan and Vietnam in the use of UAS, as they gain experience with their newly acquired MQ-9Bs.
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