MSDF DD “HATSUYUKI”Class 127 ‘Isoyuki’. |Source=By JMSDF[http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/gallery/ships/dd/hatsuyuki/127.html] |Date=2008_07_06 |Author=User: A&W |Permission=GFDL ([http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/notice/index
Japan’s coast guard may be picking up additional ships in the form of Retiring Destroyers. Since their Coast Guard does not seem to have a defense role, there are some challenging issues to worked out in terms of weapons and manning.
Aviationweek.com has a quick overview of the proposed FY2014 budget. I’ll have more on this later, but I’m otherwise occupied right now.
Fiercehomelandsecurity.com has more on the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security as well.
Defensenews has a story about a proposal from Huntington Ingalls (HII) to use their LPD hull for a dedicated Ballistic Missile Defense Ship, but it also has a photo of a model purported to be HII’s concept for the Offshore Patrol Cutter.
The ship looks conventional. It makes no apparent attempt at “stealth.” It appears to be essentially a flush-deck design with a small step down aft of the flight deck. It has single conventional tripod mast, mounted immediately behind the bridge. It appears to have twin shafts and rudders of the conventional type. The 57mm is mounted a deck above the foc’sle, presumably to keep it dry and give it a better minimum range over the bow.
US Naval Forces CENTCOM is hosting a MCM exercise May 6-30 with expected participation by more than 30 countries. The exercise is expected to
… exercise a wide spectrum of defensive operations designed to protect international commerce and trade; mine countermeasures, maritime security operations (MSO) and maritime infrastructure protection (MIP).
“This multidisciplinary defense exercise is focused on maritime security for commerce and trade from the port of origin to the port of arrival…Our planners have included events that address more of the security picture than just mines on the high seas.”
…New to this year’s exercise, MSO will introduce shipping escort, and visit, board, search and seizure operations. Industry representatives will also lead an oil spill response table-top discussion during the exercise.
The MIP portion of the exercise focuses on protecting maritime points of origin and arrival, such as ports or offshore terminals. This portion of the exercise will include shore and harbor security operations; visit, board, search and seizure teams; and specialized aircraft.
Aside from the mine hunting, sounds like it will include a lot of Coast Guard functions. With six 110s and deployable forces in the area, it appears likely the CG will have some part in the exercise. Last year two 110s acted as opposition forces. Hopefully this year, CG units will be among the Blue forces.
(Thanks to Lee for the lead)
While some in the US may wonder if we would be better off splitting the Coast Guard up into separate agencies, in the UK they are wondering if perhaps they need a Coast Guard
I have added and linked three recent publications to the References Page.
Two from Ronald O’Rourke and the Congressional Research Service:
And one from the JCS:
Defense News reports the Air Force is now attempting to figure out how to employ the hundreds of Reaper and Predator UAVs that entered USAF service or are still on order that now appear excess as a result of the end of the US participation in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Several options are considered but none appears to be sufficient to use the large number that will be in the inventory.
There is one very interesting statistic included in the report, comparing the cost of the Reaper UAV with a manned alternative, the MC-12:
“And it’s not cheap to fly a Reaper. An hour of air time costs about $8,000, according to a 2012 audit by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Compare that to the $6,000-per-hour tab for an MC-12 Project Liberty, a twin-engine King Air plane flown by a pilot and a co-pilot with a technician and analyst in the back.”
Related: Surplus ISR Aircraft–MC-12Ws
gCaptain is reporting the rapid growth of liquified petroleum gas exports from US ports. Sounds like this may be a new and significant challenge for port security, and possibly a potential terrorist target.
An interesting little bit of news from the Naval Surface Warfare Center. They have been working on a system to entangle small boat propellers.
I suppose this is another attempt to substitute non-lethal force. Might be useful for discouraging boats protesting a deployment. Seems like using this for drug enforcement might put our units in a vulnerable position.
Naval War College Professor James Holmes recently wrote suggesting that a rearmed Coast Guard and the Air Force should be entrusted with the security of the Arctic while the Navy busies itself in the Western Pacific and the waters around SW Asia. We discussed the proposal earlier here: “America Needs a Coast Guard That Can Fight”
He subsequently discussed the topic as a guest on National Public Radio and on a blog radio show.
Today, he adds another chapter to the story, “Five Obstacles to U. S. Arctic Strategy,” that outlines why this will be a hard sell. Earlier he also wrote an article about Coast Guard Wartime missions, “U. S. Coast Guard Meets Corbett”
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 