The US Naval Institute reports, “The Commandant of the Coast Guard will stress maritime security – particularly south of the border — in future discussions with the incoming Trump administration.” Read the rest.
This is one of the topics the Commandant has consistently hit. It should not not surprise anyone who has been reading or hearing his addresses.
US Coast Guard Cutter Knight Island (WPB-1348), photo by Rnendza
Some how I missed this when it came out, but the Tico Times reports the Coast Guard is planning on donating two of the 110 foot WPBs to Costa Rica this year.
That will bring to six the number escorted including two to the Republic of Georgia, two to Pakistan, and these two.
Thanks to Sanjay Badri-Maharaj for bringing this to my attention.
Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group has appointed Admiral Robert Papp, former Commandant of the U. S. Coast Guard, as President of the company’s new Washington Operations division.
Significantly, Admiral Papp retired well before Eastern was selected as builder of the Offshore Patrol Cutter.
I regarded Admiral Papp as a friend of the Blog and a good man. I wish him all the best and success in his new endeavour.
Our friend over at EagleSpeak unearthed an old film, and I found it on Youtube.
The Coast Guard manned (if I counted right) 67 LSTs during WWII, but apparently we had a lot to do with the logistics of getting them completed and to the front lines as well. Funny how all these old WWII films “feel” the same.
OPC “Placemat”
MarineLink has a story on the OPC, and it includes a bit more detail, and it raises some questions. I’ve also seen a couple of stories about how they will be equipped that will be referred to below.
There is this:
“Zukunft’s budget suggests at least one cutter, or an immediate separate order, will be arctic capable, and Vard and Canadian engineering consultancy BMT Fleet are already understood to be working on project documents for a Canadian “arctic offshore patrol ship” of Vard 7 100 type.”
VARD 7-100 ICE, the Canadian AOPS
Vard actually has two designs designated “7-100,” an offshore patrol vessel (pdf) very similar to the OPC and the 7-100 ICE. Apparently, it is the 7-100 ICE they are referring to here. The VARD 7-100 ICE (pdf) is also known as the Canadian Navy’s Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS). Does that mean the Coast Guard is looking at the Canadian AOPS as a possible Arctic Patrol Vessel, perhaps filling the role of one or two of the three medium icebreaker? They do have power similar to the old Wind class icebreakers.
We also have this indication the standard OPCs are still expected to patrol the Arctic. (Var refers to the OPC as the Vard 7 110.)
“…the Vard 7 110’s will also patrol the “increasingly accessible Arctic”, a theatre which might require a more closed superstructure, more akin to the Vard 7 100.”
The Vard 7 100 ICE has its ground tackle below the foc’sle deck to protect it from freezing. Perhaps that is what this means. This has also been done on some European Frigates.
Then there is this little bit of speculation about who will build follow on ships”
“Owned by the Italian state via Fintecna, Fincantieri doubled after its acquisition of Vard to become the fourth largest shipbuilder in the world and the largest in the Med. As we wrote these words, Financtieri’s Trieste-based minds were making a friendly offer for the 44 percent of Vard they don’t own. It’s worth noting that in January 2009, Fincantieri bought Manitowoc Marine Group and its two yards in Wisconsin, including the Marinette Marine that built the first Freedom Class littoral combat ship. So, Eastern, it seems, has a rival and a friend in Fincantieri, another maker of mid-sized vessels for the U.S. Navy. So, who knows what may be next from U.S. military-industrial strategists keen to share financial resources with capable NATO allies while also creating jobs at home. For now, all eyes will be on those remaining OPVs.
They are pointing out that there may be competition for the follow on contract. That is good for the Coast Guard.
I would also point out that it also means Marinette might make modified OPCs for the Navy, if the Navy ever realizes that the LCS is not going to make a very good “small surface combatant.”
Northrop Grumman Corporation reports they have been awarded a contract for the design of the C4ISR and machinery control systems (MCS).
“The systems being supplied include integrated bridge systems, command and control consoles, navigation and combat data distribution systems, ship-wide computer network systems, machinery control systems and propulsion control systems
“Included in the design phase of the OPC program is a MCS land-based test facility, as well as a C4ISR test and integration facility, both of which will be located in Charlottesville. Additional work will be conducted at company facilities in San Diego, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Northrop Grumman will also provide key C4ISR and MCS integration roles during production testing and shipboard trials to be held in Panama City, Florida.”
MarineLog identified the engines to be used.
Each 360 foot-long vessel will be powered by two FM-MAN 16V 28/33D diesel engines, each rated at 9,763 bhp at 1,000 rpm.
We have consistently seen the speed quoted as 22.5 knots sustained or 22 or more. I suspect they are being conservative. With almost 20,000 HP, the ship ought to make 24 or even 25 knots, in all but the most adverse conditions of load and bottom fouling.
I would have preferred the 20,000 KW (26820 HP) engines advertised for the VARD 7 1000 which would have assured 25 knots, but it’s not bad. If the 7 110 follows the pattern of the 7 100 OPV, than there will be hybrid propulsion, with electric motors on the shaft in addition to geared diesel drive from the main engines. For a cruising speed of 14 knots, that would require two electric motors of about 1,500 HP each.
“In order to provide fuel efficiency and greater range, this vessel is powered by CODELAD (combined diesel and electric) which allows for instantaneous changeover.”
This would make a lot of sense, in that in addition to the fuel economy benefits it would improve the ships survivability. It could lose both main diesel engines and still have propulsion.
LastStandOnZombieIsland reports USCGC Alex Haley’s last sister ship, the former
USS Beaufort (ATS-2), now the Republic of (South) Korea Navy Ship ROKS Peyongtaek (ATS-27), is to be decommissioned and scrapped.
The blog has a suggestion that might be worth pursuing.
“Maybe the South Koreans will let the USCG go over Peyongtaek for spare parts before they send her to the breakers.”
These ships were built in Britain by Broke Marine. That is very unusual for any US Navy ship. It probably also means finding spares may be more difficult that it would be for a US built ship.
Thanks to MSR for bringing this to my attention.
US Capital West Side, by Martin Falbisoner
The influencial Conservative think tank, Heritage Foundation, has issued a report on the Department of Homeland Security that will likely strongly influence the incoming administration and Congress.
It does not call for any radical increase in the Coast Guard budget for FY2017 ($10.85B). In fact it calls of less funding than was enacted in 2016 ($11.112B), but more than the current administration has requested ($10.322B).
It does support the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and Polar Icebreaker (PIB) programs and continued procurement of six Webber class (FRC) rather than the four currently requested.
For the future, it appears they support a more stable AC&I budget of at least $1.5B. To me it appears likely the AC&I budget will go higher as both the OPC and PIB enter the construction phase, and they spoke against imposition of a defacto ceiling.
The most significant new direction, seemed to be strong support for Unmanned Air Systems.
Unmanned Aerial Systems. The Coast Guard would also benefit greatly from procuring UASs to support NSC operations. According to the GAO, “Coast Guard officials acknowledged that the lack of [cutter-based] unmanned aircraft would create a gap between the NSC’s actual and planned capabilities.” Dr. William Posage, program manager for the Coast Guard Research and Development Center, explained that the lack of cutter-based UAS technologies “left the NSC with an enormous surveillance gap in her ability to perform her mission.” Notably, the operational effectiveness of the NSC without a UAS component would “be comparable to that of the 378-foot Hamilton class high-endurance cutter,” the very program it was designed to replace with capability enhancements.
The Coast Guard has successfully tested the FireScout and ScanEagle UAS platforms, both of which would significantly amplify the NSC’s surveillance, detection, classification, and prosecution capabilities. Widely used for similar naval operations, they have successfully contributed to a handful of at-sea Coast Guard demonstrations. According to an assessment by the Coast Guard Office of Aviation Forces, the presence of two vertical take-off FireScout UASs aboard an NSC would enable the cutter to cover three times the presence radius of an NSC without them. Similarly, according to a Senate Appropriations Committee report, “[t]he Coast Guard has reported…that its long standing plan to add vertical take-off unmanned aircraft systems to the National Security Cutters would result in an estimated 95- to 225-percent increase in surveillance coverage within an 800 nautical mile radius of the cutter and an estimated 95-percent increase in the number of prosecutions achieved by the cutter.”
The Coast Guard’s FY 2017 budget justification states that funding for the NSC program will in part “establish sUAS [small UAS] capability aboard one NSC, to include engineering analysis, non-recurring engineering, procurement and installation of sUAS components, and system testing and certification.” Admiral Zukunft testified before the House Transportation Committee in March 2016 that this activity would involve a “down select” for a sUAS capability “that will go on board” the NSC. The NSC will amplify its aerial ISR capabilities dramatically with the longer-term integration of sUAS, while the sea service should continue to evaluate the vertical unmanned aerial vehicle (VUAV) platform.
This seems to indicate a two pronged approach, first a small UAS (Scan Eagle or something similar) in the near future and a continued interest in evaluating a vertical takeoff unmanned system like Firescout or potentially DARPA’s TERN.
All the UAS discussion centers on the National Security Cutters. There is no discussion of the possibility of using UAS on any other classes.
Just passing along the following I recieved by email.
Fellow SNA Coastguardsmen, Cuttermen, and all,
I would like to invite you to an annual cuttermen’s tradition at the Surface Navy Association Symposium — the Annual National Cuttermen Call January 12th at 1415 held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.
This year our Commander, Atlantic Area, Vice Admiral Shultz, and our Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Masterchief Cantrell, will address current topics of the our cutter fleet and engage in a question and answer session with the audience.
The event is free for Active Duty in uniform (Service Dress Blues) and all SNA members.
The link for the Symposium is: http://navysna.org/2017Symp/General17.htm
Following the Cuttermen call there will be a no-host social in the Tidewater Room at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City to facilitate more SNA and Coast Guard camaraderie as well as embellished sea stories.
Please look at the other events of interest to the Coast Guard, and consider starting or renewing your membership into our SNA organization and chapters.
All are welcome. Please make time to join us!
Vr, Scott Clendenin,
President, National Cuttermen Chapter of the Surface Navy Association
A U.S. Navy submarine-launched UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile hits a North American RA-5C Vigilante target aircraft on San Clemente Island, California (USA), after a flight of circa 650 km. U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-86-06115 and DN-SC-86-06115
Naval Today reports, “The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Raytheon a $303.7 million contract for the the delivery of 214 Tomahawk block IV all-up-round vertical launch system missiles and spares.“
Not that the Coast Guard is likely to buy one, the Navy buys our weapons, but the price of Tomahalk missiles may give some indication of the cost of similar sophisticated systems. I’m a bit surprised the price is as low as it is. Since this includes spares in additon to 214 all-up rounds, that puts the price at less than $1.42M each. Frankly, I expected more.
Perhaps including cutters in the Navy’s plans for distributed lethality is not out of the question.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722) heads out to sea from its home port in Alameda, California (USA), passing under the Golden Gate Bridge.
You can find the ALCOAST announcing winners of the 2016 Hopley Yeaton awards for exellence on the National Cutterman Chapter, Surface Navy Association web site.
USCGC LIBERTY (WPB 1334), Credit to Gillfoto, 23 November 2012
Still, if completing 84% percent of your drills, firing 100% of your training ammuntion, and doing 93% of your engineering maintenance are notable achievements, doesn’t that tell us that something is wrong? (Plus, how can you have a 200% reduction in mission limiting casualties?)
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 