Miami-class cutter USCGC Tampa photographed in harbour, prior to the First World War. Completed in 1912 as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Miami, this ship was renamed Tampa in February 1916. On 26 September 1918, while operating in the English Channel, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German Submarine UB-91. All 131 persons on board Tampa were lost with her, the largest loss of life on any U.S. combat vessel during the First World War. Official U.S. Navy photo NH 1226 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command

As we approach the 100th anniversary, the Washington Post has an excellent article recounting the loss of the Cutter Tampa and it effect on some of the families. Well worth the read.

US Coast Guard photo, by PAC Dana Warr

The Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9) is reporting award of a contract to Airbus for components for a Service Life Extension Program for CG MH-65s. I have reproduced the press release in full below. Significantly it indicates the H-65s will continue to serve until phased out between 2035 and 2039. We are also SLEPing the H-60s so their replacement and that of the H-65 may both come due about the same time. In the 2030s we will have an entire fleet of 50 year old helicopters. This could create a huge budgeting problem in the mid 2030s.. At least it appears the “Future Vertical Lift” program should be mature by then. 

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The Coast Guard awarded a $15.9 million contract to Airbus Helicopters Inc. Aug. 22 to procure three critical structural components for its H-65 short range recovery helicopters as part of a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).

The sole source contract includes the following commercial items; the canopy, center console floor assembly and the lower right nine degree frame. The Coast Guard elected to order 87 canopies in the base period, which resulted in a $2.5 million cost savings to the government. Under the contract, canopy deliveries will be spread out over a five-year performance period.

The SLEP will replace five critical components that are essential to the airworthiness and flight safety of the aircraft. Contracts for the other two components, the floor boards and side panel, were awarded in May.

The SLEP will extend the service life of the H-65 from 20,000 to 30,000 flight hours. The 10,000-flight-hour extension will provide a 50% increase in service life and will ensure that the Coast Guard can maintain its H-65 fleet until its planned phase-out between 2035 and 2039.

The MH-65 is also undergoing an avionics upgrades that will convert the airframe to an MH-65E configuration. In order to achieve schedule and cost efficiencies, the avionics upgrades and SLEP are being completed at the same time. One low rate initial production aircraft, CGNR-6556, is currently undergoing SLEP and the avionics upgrades; work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018.

For more information: MH-65 program page

The USCGC Active (WMEC-618) was commissioned in 1966 and is still serving–a tribute to the Coast Guard’s “can do” culture.

By admitting that  Semper Paratus is an aspiration, the Coast Guard can allow itself to celebrate the truth that while the service is not  Always Ready , Coast Guardsmen embrace every task to meet their mission. That might not be the service’s aspiration, but it should be its inspiration.

Seems like I have been pointing to the US Naval Institute publications a lot recently, but it does seem they are paying more attention to the Coast Guard. Latest is “Embrace the Coast Guard’s Strengths” by LCdr. Luke Petersen, USCG. It discusses how we should view the motto, “Semper Paratus–Always Ready.”

Aspirational, Inspirational, or a curse?

New York Times

The US Naval Institute is reporting

The Coast Guard has also sortied East Coast ships and aircraft ahead of Florence’s anticipated landfall. In the last two days, the Coast Guard has sortied four helicopters, five HC-130s and 28 cutters to avoid Florence, a Coast Guard Atlantic Area spokesman told USNI News.

In hopes I have at least one cadet (academy or OCS) in the readership, I have duplicated the following from a US Naval Institute web site. 

These are the Unified Combatant Commander’s Areas of Responsibility. 

It starts like this:

“Congress and the Trump administration could do far worse than double or triple the size of the U.S. Coast Guard fleet. (Let’s hear no more about drastic cutbacks.) Last month Military Times reported that the Coast Guard leadership has entered talks with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to send a cutter to the region to help “temper” Chinese influence while “building partner capacity” with friendly African navies and coast guards. The troubling thing about the report is the definite article the reporter deploys: the coast guard will dispatch “a” ship if the talks with IndoPaCom bear fruit. A = 1.”

The US Naval Institute blog has a small post,  ‘Brandish America’s ‘Small Stick’

The author of the piece is significant. James R. Holmes , currently professor of strategy at the Naval War College, one of the most prominent naval thinkers of the 21st century. It would be hard to find a more influential voice in support of a more international role for the Coast Guard.

If we really want to do something like this, I will insert a shameless plug for my idea of a “Combined Maritime Security Task Force Pacific.”

While we are building a Webber class replacements for the 110s assigned to PATFORSWA under CENTCOM perhaps we should be building a batch to be based in Guam or Singapore for INDO-PACOM. Maybe some for SOUTHCOM and maybe AFRICOM too.

Some previous articles along these lines:

• “Build a Great White Fleet for the 21st Century”–USNI
• The U. S. Coast Guard in the South China Sea: Strategy or Folly?–CIMSEC
• White Hulls Must Prepare for Gray Zone Challenges–USNI

This is a damaged 29-foot response boat small from Maritime Safety and Security Team Cape Cod located on Air Station Cape Cod on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Two tactical boat crews collided during training off Falmouth, Massachusetts. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

We have a report four members of Martime Safety and Security Team Cape Cod were injured when two 29 foot boats collided during a training exercise, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Reportedly none of the injures are life threatening.  

Close up view of the damage of a 29-foot response boat small after it collided with another 29-foot response boat during training off Falmouth, Massachusetts, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

This is a news release, quoted in full. 

Sept. 5, 2018

DHS Science & Technology Press Office: John Verrico, (202) 254-2385

USCG RDC Press Representative: Loretta Haring (202) 475-5523

DHS, Coast Guard Launch $255K ‘Ready for Rescue Challenge’ to develop new boater safety solutions

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), launched the U.S. Coast Guard Ready for Rescue Challenge, a $255,000 prize competition that seeks boater safety solutions that will help make it easier to find people in the water.

When a person is separated from their boat or other watercraft, they can be left isolated in open waters. A life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) keeps a person afloat while they seek safety. However, a person in the water is a small, moving target, and even in a successful rescue mission, locating the person can take hours.

“Boater safety solutions that harness new designs and technologies can improve the chance of a successful rescue,” said William N. Bryan, DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties as Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “New, innovative solutions are critical. We are proud to support our nation’s maritime first responder with this important, life-saving effort.”

This call for concepts is the first phase of an anticipated three-phase prize competition. Phase I concepts could include a new or updated life jacket or PFD, an attachment to a life jacket or PFD, or an additional device for boaters. The best concepts will be effective, affordable, and hold the potential for wide adoption by recreational boaters.

Those interested in participating in the Challenge should submit their concept by 4:59 p.m., ET, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. The judges will evaluate the submissions and will select up to five monetary prize winners and up to five non-monetary honorable mention award winners. A total of $25,000 will be distributed evenly among each of the Phase I monetary prize winners.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is devoted to helping boaters in distress,” said Bert Macesker, RDC Executive Director. “One critical challenge is finding people in the water. Partnering with DHS S&T allows us to increase the Coast Guard’s access to innovations that make people in the water more detectable. We hope to build off of the success of our previous prize competition partnership for environmentally friendly mooring.”

In Phase II, selected participants from Phase I will participate in a “Piranha Pool” to pitch their solution and compete for a total prize pool of $120,000. This prize will assist each monetary prize winner in developing their concept into a working prototype. In Phase III, the Coast Guard will field test prototypes alongside standard Coast Guard approved safety equipment. At the conclusion of Phase III, the judging panel may award a total $110,000 in additional monetary prizes.

For more information about the Coast Guard Ready for Rescue Challenge, visit readyforrescuechallenge.com.

Thetis-class ocean patrol vessel belonging to the Royal Danish Navy. (Similar in size to the OPC.) Source: konflikty.pl, Author: Łukasz Golowanow

The September 2018 issue of the Navy League’s Magazine, Seapower, has an article about ice strengthened Patrol Vessels. The entire issue is available on line. You will find the article on page 32.

P570 Knud Rasmussen. The first of  three Danish navy Knud Rasmussen-class ocean patrol crafts. Commisioned in 2008. Photo from Flemming Sørensen

The article looks at the Danish Knud Rasmussen and Thetis classes, the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Svalbard, and the Canadian HMCS Harry DeWolf class Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS). It talks about why the ships were designed the way they were, and the features that allow them to operate successfully in the Arctic.

These are not icebreakers, they are hybrids, offshore patrol vessels adapted to work in both Arctic and ice free environments. The Danish vessels thanks to the StanFlex mission modules system can fill the role of warships, mounting ASW torpedoes or Evolved Sea Sparrow AAW Missiles.

Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel Svalbard. Photo by Marcusroos

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White Beach, Okinawa (May 20, 2006) – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sherman (WHEC 720) leaves the White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa pier to begin its participation in exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) 2006. SEACAT is a weeklong at-sea exercise designed to highlight the value of information sharing and multi-national coordination with participating navies during practical maritime interception training opportunities. USCGS Sherman is homeported in Alameda, Calif. U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Journalist Melinda Larson (RELEASED)

Janes is reporting that the former USCGC Sherman was handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy on 27 August in a ceremony in Honolulu.

This is the second cutter Sri Lanka has received. They still operate the former the former USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622) decommissioned 19 Sept. 2001 and inducted in the Sri Lankan Navy as P-621 SLNS Samudura 19 Feb. 2005. (Anyone know why she was decommissioned?)

They also have a couple of new 2,200 ton Indian built OPVs, but the former USCGC Sherman will be the largest vessel in the Sri Lanka Navy.