W B Young asked a question, wondering if perhaps the crew requirements for the new fleet of patrol cutters might be significantly greater than for the fleet being replaced. I ran the numbers and was surprised by the answer.

The program of record was for 91 new ships (8 NSCs, 25 OPCs, and 58 FRCs) to replace a legacy fleet of 90 ships (12 WHECs, 29 WMECs, and 49 Island class WPBs). Instead it appears we are building a fleet of 100 ships (11 NSCs, 25 OPCs, and 64 FRCs). I will compare the 90 ship legacy fleet with the 100 vessel fleet we are building.

Replacing the WHECs: 

In a recent interview by Seapower Magazine the Commandant was asked, “Does the Coast Guard have enough people to man these new cutter coming online?” He really only talked about the NSC/WHEC comparison, but he did provide crew numbers for each, 178 for the 378s and 128 for the NSCs.

The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Midgett (WMSL 757) and Kimball (WMSL 756) transit past Koko Head on Oahu, Hawaii, Aug. 16, 2019. The Kimball and Midgett are both homeported in Honolulu and two of the newest Coast Guard cutters to join the fleet. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released)

We are replacing twelve 378 foot WHECs with eleven Bertholf class, so:

• Old Fleet, 12 x 178 = 2136
• New Fleet, 11 x 128 = 1408

A reduction of 728.

Replacing the WMECs:

The legacy fleet of 29 WMECs included Alex Haley, Acushnet, fourteen 210s, and thirteen 270s. We have pretty good figures for the crew size of these older ships. For the 25 projected OPCs, we have only the figure for accommodations, 126. I have assumed the crew size will be the same as for the 270s, 100, but it might be more like 110.

OPC “Placemat”

Old Fleet total: 2524

• 270s: 13 x 100 = 1300
• 210s: 14 x 75 =1050
• Alex Haley       99
• Acushnet         75

New Fleet, 25 x 100 = 2500

For a reduction of 24. On the other hand, if the OPC crew is 110, we have an increase of 226.

Replacing the Island class WPBs:

The Coast Guard Cutter Naushon (WPB 1311) 110-foot Island-class patrol boat and crew conduct training in Kachemak Bay near Homer, Alaska, Feb. 16, 2018.(Picture source U.S. Defense Visual Information)

64 Webber class are replacing 49 Island class 110 foot WPBs. Actually we were down to 41 of the 110s before the FRC contract was awarded because of the abortive attempt to lengthen eight of the class by 13 feet. All eight were withdrawn from service in 2006.

The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley conducts sea trials off the coast of Key West, Florida, on April 5. The Donald Horsley is the Coast Guard’s 17th fast response cutter and was commissioned in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 20, 2016. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Eric D. Woodall)

This is where we see a significant increase. The crews of the 110s was nominally 16, though they may have carried more. For the crew of the Webber class WPCs I used 24, though the original crew was, I believe, supposed to have been 22.

• Old Fleet: 49 x 16 =  784
• New Fleet: 64 x 24 = 1,536

An increase of 752.

Perfection Achieve?:

So to add it all up:

Old Fleet

• WHECs 2136
• WMECs 2524
• WPBs      784
• Total     5444

New Fleet

• NSCs 1408
• OPCs 2500
• FRCs  1536
• Total   5444

Wow, how did that happen, so should be no problem right? Maybe not.

The Timeline: 

Since the this particular Legacy fleet existed, a number of things have happened to reduce the number of afloat billets.

Eight Island class WPBs were decommissioned after the attempt to lengthen them, a 128 billet decrease.

Acushnet was decommissioned, a 75 billet decrease.

378s have been decommissioned faster than NSCs have replaced them. Instead of twelve 378s we now have eight NSCs and two 378s, 24 billets less than the ultimate NSC fleet and 756 fewer than the legacy WHEC fleet.

Billet decreases due to replacement of 378s by NSCs is running ahead of billet increases as a result of replacing 110s with FRCs. About 73% of the NSCs have been commissioned compared to only about 60% of the FRCs.

So we have already seen all the saving we will see from the introduction of the NSCs but not all the increases we expect to see from the introduction of FRCs, I am estimating we will need about 300 additional billets to crew the yet to be completed FRCs.

So the fleet has already seen all the reductions in crew size and for the next few years, we should see an increase in the total number of billets. It appears we will have to add a bit over 500 additional billets to what we currently have.

This may have something to do with the decision to decommission some 87 foot Marine Protector class WPBs without replacement.

A question remains regarding support billets. Will these more complex ships require more support billets ashore?

More perspective. 

The legacy fleet composition used for comparison here represented the Coast Guard fleet during the period after Storis was decommissioned in 2007 and before Acushnet was decommissioned in 2011. If we look back to 2000  we will see that the Coast Guard had all 90 of these ships plus Storis and two more 210s, another 234 afloat billets.

The US Naval Institute News service reports that  Air Force Lt. Gen. Glen VanHerck, nominee to the post of NORTHCOM commander, “told a Senate panel he would support placing a base for the Coast Guard’s new icebreaker fleet in the Arctic.”

That could mean different things. Is it a support base or a home base? There has been talk of a base in the Alaskan Arctic for a while now (here and here). The Alaska Congressional delegation would obvious like investment in additional infrastructure in Alaska.

If the thought is that one or more icebreaker should be homeported at a new port in the Arctic, or anywhere in Alaska, that would be a mistake. The benefits of proximity to the operating are proportional to the number of sorties. The fewer sorties to the operating area, the less important. The Polar Security Cutters will probably have the greatest endurance of any ships in the Coast Guard. They will probably deploy to the Arctic only once or twice a year at most. There are a number of other important considerations.

Where will the ships go into dry dock? Ideally, it should be in their homeport. At least there should be good, reasonably priced, frequent transportation between the homeport and the location of the dry dock.

Where will the crew train? Both as teams and as individuals? A lot of training is done at Naval Bases. How easy is it to get there? There are travel costs to consider.

We should consider the quality of life of both the crew and the dependents. Spouses frequently have careers of their own. Families need or want a second income. Will spouses, who want to work, be able to find a job? A good job, in their career field?

For the next few year we can really only consider what will happen to the first three Polar Security Cutters.

• For logistics and support reasons, we will want to base all three of the first Polar Security Cutters together.
• We know the first and second will be used primarily in support of operations in Antarctica.
• Even when we get three, we would not be able to say that number three will never deploy south.

So basing any of the first three PSCs in Alaska is unnecessary, unwise, and perhaps unworkable.

Image: Facebook

Asia Times offers an analysis of a likely coming confrontation between China and Japan.

“Japan’s Sankei newspaper reports that Beijing has warned the Japanese government that many Chinese fishing boats may soon enter waters near the Japanese-held Senkaku Islands, which China also claims as its Diaoyu Islands.”

The ranking US military representative in Japan says the US will help the Japanese monitor incursions.

“The United States is 100 percent absolutely steadfast in its commitment to help the government of Japan with the situation,” Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider said during an online press conference.

“They (Chinese ships) would go in and out a couple of times a month and now we are seeing them basically park and truly challenge Japan’s administration,” he added.

What is going on?

• There are likely mineral resources in the EEZ around these islands which China would like to exploit.
• They would like to turn the South and East China Seas into sovereign Chinese territory to the exclusion of everyone else.
• The Chinese will always welcome a chance exact a bit of revenge on Japan for the aggression suffered during WWII and earlier.
• Perhaps most importantly, in the long run, taking over these islands would potentially complete the encirclement of Taiwan with Chinese bases with shore based missiles that could enforce a blockade.

The Chinese may actually have a valid claim to these islands, but they are unwilling to go to an international tribunal with their case, because they cannot add to the legitimacy of tribunal decisions when their other claims would not hold up in international court.

We can expect the Japanese will attempt to use their Coast Guard to deal with this. The Chinese will counter with their own Coast Guard.

We may end up see seeing more ramming than at any time since the Battle of Salamis.

Arctic Survey Boat

The Coast Guard has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a “Polar Landing Craft” (PLC) to be used from the Polar Security Cutter (apparently one per ship). (See the link on the photo caption as the foot of the post for information on a similar craft developed for the Canadian Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship.)

The U.S. Coast Guard intends to procure three Polar Landing Craft (PLC) as utility boats for the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) Class heavy icebreakers.  The two existing utility boats used by the USCG’s existing Icebreakers, the USCGC POLAR STAR and HEALY, are the Arctic Survey Boat (ASB) and the Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP).  The performance capabilities of these two boats, have been combined in the attached Specification and Statement of Work to create the desired capabilities of the PLC for deployment and use from the PSC.

Basic specifications are:

• Maximum Length: 38 feet
• Max Beam: 12 feet
• Max Displacement: 20,000 pounds
• Max Height, Keel to Highest Point (Antennas in stowed position) 15 feet

I have copied and pasted here some of the more salient specifications included in the 68 page draft specification document (accessible from the RFI linked above).

051-2.1 Operate – The PLC shall be capable of operating and conducting missions in mid Sea State 3.

051-2.2 Survive – The PLC shall be capable of surviving in Sea State 4.
051-2.3 Water Temperatures – The PLC shall be capable of being operated continuously in water temperatures ranging from 28 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
051-2.4 Air Temperatures – The PLC shall be capable of being stowed continuously and
operated continuously in air temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to 95 degrees
Fahrenheit.
051-2.5 The PLC shall operate in ice and slush not to exceed 1/2 inch. Shall operate in
brash ice and ice floes of a minimum of 3/10 coverage.

051-2.6 Speed – The PLC, in the Performance Condition Weight, shall be capable of
transiting at full speed in Sea State 0, 10 knots in Sea State 3, and at a minimum of
6 knots in Sea State 4 without damage to the boat’s structure, equipment or harm
to the crew or embarked passengers.

051-4.1 Full Speed – The PLC shall be capable of achieving 25 knots sustained speed in Sea State 0 in the Performance Condition Weight.
051-4.2 Range – The PLC shall be capable of transiting 100 NM (threshold) or 200 NM
(objective) in the Performance Condition Weight at the most economical speed
with a useable 10% fuel reserve in Sea State 0.

051-7.1 The PLC shall be capable of towing a variety of craft of similar displacement and weight, astern and alongside, in conditions up to Sea State 3.
051-7.2 The PLC shall be capable of being towed by the bow or alongside.

070-3.1 The PLC shall have a fully enclosed pilothouse and shall include seating for 5
persons (threshold) or 6 persons (objective) onboard.

070-3.7 The PLC shall be capable of operating with a total of twelve (threshold) or fifteen (objective) persons onboard.
070-3.8 The PLC machinery and systems shall be capable of being easily reached for
inspection, removal, or maintenance without removal of permanent boat structure.
070-3.9 The PLC shall be equipped with a powered bow ramp with a minimum width of at least 6 feet and rated for at least 1,000 lbs.
070-3.9.1 The bow ramp shall have a minimum length of at least 4 feet 6 inches.
070-3.9.2 The bow ramp shall be capable of deployment up to 45 degrees below
horizontal.
070-3.9.3 The bow ramp shall be electrically or hydraulically powered.
070-3.12 The PLC shall have at least 75 square feet of recessed open deck space forward of the pilothouse to store a minimum of 3,000 lbs of cargo, personnel and
equipment. (assuming the width of the recessed open deck space is the same as the minimum width of the ramp-6′, then the space would be at least 12.5′ long, less than a third of the maximum permissible length–Chuck)

Arctic Landing Craft for Canada’s AOPS

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) while patrolling the Eastern Pacific Ocean, April 20, 2020. Waesche is deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Dave Horning.

CIMSEC has provided us with both a pdf copy of the new Naval Warfare Doctrine and a comparative analysis of the 2020 version with the preceding 2010 version, done by Jimmy Drennan, President of the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC).

The doctrine is jointly published under the signature of the Coast Guard Commandant as well as that of the CNO and Commandant of the Marine Corps. The Coast Guard is mentioned 58 times in the 88 pdf pages.

The new doctrine is easy to read, and appears to be written for a wide audience. Acronyms are kept to a minimum. It is really a return to the fundamental concepts of Seapower. In particular it talks about five enduring functions:

• Sea Control,
• Power Projection,
• Deterrence,
• Maritime Security, and
• Sea Lift

The Coast Guard certainly has major roles in Maritime Security and Sea Lift, along with possible lesser roles in other areas.

It is not difficult reading at all, 68 pages in the basic document, in large format, with lots of pictures. There is a ten page glossary and just over a page of acronyms at the end, most of which you will not need.

COLONIA, Yap (July 4, 2019) The U.S. Coast Guard Island-class patrol boat USCGC Kiska and Mark VI patrol boats assigned to Coastal Riverine Squadron (CRS) 2, Coastal Riverine Group 1, Detachment Guam, moored in the Micronesia port of Yap. CRG 1, Det. Guam’s visit to Yap, and engagement with the People of Federated States of Micronesia underscores the U.S. Navy’s commitment to partners in the region. The Mark VI patrol boat is an integral part of the expeditionary forces support to 7th Fleet, capability of supporting myriad of missions throughout the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jasen Moreno-Garcia/Released)

I am passing along this from Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

Happy Birthday to the Coast Guard, marking 230 years of faithful service to our nation!

Now is the time to celebrate the people, the mission, and the incredible history of the USCG!

Today, August 4th, marks the founding of the Revenue Cutter Service in 1790 and the origins of the United States Coast Guard. Every day members of the Coast Guard are securing our borders, interdicting illicit drugs, and protecting our national interests.

Impressively on an average day, the United States Coast Guard:

• conducts 45 search and rescue cases
• saves 10 lives
• saves over $1.2M in property
• seizes 874 pounds of cocaine and 214 pounds of marijuana
• conducts 57 waterborne patrols of critical maritime infrastructure
• interdicts 17 illegal migrants
• escorts 5 high-capacity passenger vessels
• conducts 24 security boardings in and around U.S. ports
• screens 360 merchant vessels for potential security threats prior to arrival in U.S. ports
• conducts 14 fisheries conservation boardings
• services 82 buoys and fixed aids to navigation
• investigates 35 pollution incidents
• completes 26 safety examinations on foreign vessels
• conducts 105 marine inspections
• investigates 14 marine casualties involving commercial vessels
• facilitates movement of $8.7B worth of goods and commodities through the Nation’s Maritime Transportation System

Even though Coast Guard Day looks a little different this year, we know you are still ready to celebrate this amazing branch of service! The United States Coast Guard is resilient and ready for anything no matter what storm may surge or threat arise. This is why CGMA just rolled out 6 new programs to assist CG families through the challenges and uncertainties of COVID-19. You can learn more about these programs on our website: cgmahq.org.

Now we are witnessing COVID-19 cases increase nationwide, there is a national crisis in the availability of child care, and schools are beginning to announce plans for the fall semester.

– ADM Karl Schultz, USCG Commandant, Chairman, CGMA Board of Control

RADM Cari Thomas, USCG, Ret.

Chief Executive Officer

P.S. Don’t miss the party. How will you join the celebration? Give a special gift today. Together we can honor the past and secure the future.

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, 1005 North Glebe Road, Ste 220 Arlington, VA 22201

Chinese squid-fishing vessels in waters near South Korea’s Ulleungdo in September 2016 | ⓒ THE OUTLAW OCEAN PROJECT / VIA KYODO

We have a UPI report that,

“Chinese fishing vessels operating illegally may have hollowed out North Korean waters and likely contributed to an 80 percent decline in local fish stocks, according to a new joint study of Chinese activity in North Korea.”

---

High levels of Chinese fishing activity in North Korea have also pushed out North Korean fishermen to more dangerous waters. The North Koreans have been moved out north, toward Russia, and may be risking their lives. The study pointed out in recent years Japanese coastal towns have reported the appearance of North Korean “ghost boats” that arrive empty or with human remains.

China seems to be North Korea’s only friend (although there is technology exchange with Iran) but with friends like these…

If anything this makes North Korean even more dependent on the Chinese. This is a pattern I think we are seeing elsewhere–impoverishing local economies by removing local food sources and then offering other forms of economic aid that will result in debt and subservience to China. It is also effecting South Korean and Japanese economies.  More here.

“The scale of the fleet involved in this illegal fishing is about one-third the size of China’s entire distant water fishing fleet,” said Jaeyoon Park, senior data scientist at Global Fishing Watch. “It is the largest known case of illegal fishing perpetrated by vessels originating from one country operating in another nation’s waters.”

It may also mean the the North Korean government will be even more inclined to do something rash and foolish.

If this is in fact a violation of UN sanctions. It might be something the USCG could move against under UN authority, perhaps in cooperation with the Japanese and S. Korean Coast Guards.

Thanks to Sven for bringing this to my attention. 

It is August so we have a “Coast Guard” edition of the US Naval Institute Proceedings. I have not gotten my hard copy yet, but it is up on line and much of it is avail to non-members including the thee prize winning Coast Guard essays.

• Employ Coast Guard LEDets in the Indo-Pacific, by Lieutenant Andrew Ray, U.S. Coast Guard
• Send in the Coast Guard . . . With the Marines!, by Lieutenant Commander Daniel Wiltshire, U.S. Coast Guard
• Create ‘Patrol Forces Indo-Pacific’?, by Petty Officer Third Class Merrill A. Magowan, U.S. Coast Guard

Feel free to comment on any of these articles here as well as on the USNI post directly.

Masked members of the cutter James crew and Commandant Adm. Karl L. Schultz (front, center), along with interagency partners, stand among interdicted narcotics at Port Everglades, Florida, on June 9. U.S. COAST GUARD / Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Murray

The Navy League Magazine (on-line) has a short article about Coast Guard Operations in the COVID-19 environment.

Army Times reports that the Army has developed a new hybrid device that can reduce the noise, recoil, and flash of a variety of weapons including those common in the Coast Guard. It functions as a muzzle break to reduce recoil that adversely effects accuracy, as a suppressor to reduce noise that may cause hearing loss without the usual adverse effects of a suppressor, and as a flash hider.

“It’s a hybrid device that cuts half the volume at the shooter’s ear, reduces recoil by a third and drops volume down range by one quarter, said Gregory Oberlin, a small arms engineer at the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Center Army Research Lab.”