Project 22460, new version of Rubin. Armed with one 57mm gun and two 30mm guns (in the turret of the Taifun-VDV).
If you are interested in the Russian Coast Guard, I ran across a website that seems to have a lot of information. It is definitely a pro-Russian site. You may want to be careful about clicking on any of the photos, my software stopped a “malicious download.”
ARABIAN GULF (Feb. 25, 2021) The U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Maui (WPB 1304) and the Greek navy guided-missile frigate HS Hydra (F452) participate in a passing exercise in the Arabian Gulf, Feb. 25, 2021. U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) is comprised of six 110-foot cutters, the Maritime Engagement Team, shore-side support personnel, and is the Coast Guard’s largest unit outside of the U.S. playing a key role in supporting Navy security cooperation, maritime security, and maritime infrastructure protection operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
James Holmes (a name worth remembering) discusses the Large Scale Exercise 2021 and war gaming in general.
This is the first indication I have seen that the Coast Guard was participating, though at least limited participation was expected. If anyone has any information about about Coast Guard’s actual participation, please provide a comment.
I’ve often thought we might learn a lot about drug interdiction by employing war gaming with an intelligent and aggressive “Red Cell.”
Finding someone who is trying not to be found is far different from doing SAR, finding someone who hopes to be found. I don’t know if we have begun to apply Operations Research developed search patterns for moving targets. I know when I was active duty it was an alien concept.
US Capital West Side, by Martin Falbisoner
Forbes’ Craig Hooper gives us a look at the Coast Guard’s unfunded priority list for FY2022, with an push to fully fund it, and a suggestion how the Coast Guard and DHS could provide a clearer picture of our funding requirements.
It’s all true, but I would note that, actually having an unfunded priority list, is an improvement. Not many years ago the Coast Guard repeatedly failed to submit an unfunded priority list.
From almost his first day as Commandant, Admiral Schultz has been talking about the infrastructure shortfall. Previously all the emphasis had been on the recapitalization of the Afloat units. The push to replace all H-65s with H-60s is an even more recent initiative.
I suspect, as has happened the last few years, Congress will provide an increase over the Administration request.
Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention.
Obviously people like having the Coast Guard around. It seems the Coast Guard is again attempting to close “redundant” stations, in this case the seasonal station at Scituate, Massachusetts, situated between Boston and Plymouth. You can see the typical result here.
February 2020, we had a similar story.
Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention.
The original boathouse for the Toms River Life Saving Station in 1898. Image from Norman McClure of Toms River.
Defense News brings us an editorial in support of increased funding to reduce the Coast Guard’s $3B maintenance and infrastructure backlog, by Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
“What often goes unreported, however, is the woeful lack of resources supporting the Coast Guard’s missions.
“In too many cases, the Coast Guard operates out of trailers in parking lots, uninhabitable buildings and crumbling piers. It is time to give this branch of our armed forces its rightful attention and support.”
The commentary points out how Coast Guard funding for operations and support has fallen behind.
Since 2010, the Coast Guard has seen only a modest 8 percent increase in operation and support funding. By comparison, all other services have seen increases between 28 and 42 percent. Having the Coast Guard clearly identify its needs will inform Congress about how to modernize and recapitalize our Coast Guard fleet to meet its mission requirements.
That does also seem to suggest, that the Coast Guard has been remiss in identifying what it needs. The old habits of “doing more with less,” which ultimately result in either doing less or pushing the limits of safety, die hard.
Navy Recognition reports that HMS Protector is en route Antarctica.
Previous discussion of HMS Protector:
HMCS Harry DeWolf, leaving HMC Dockyard in Halifax and steaming under Angus L. Macdonald
suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada
Naval News reports the first of Canada’s planned eight Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) (six for their Navy and two for their Coast Guard) departed on its first operational deployment on August 3. The deployment is expected to take four months and will include participation in the annual Nanook Exercise with partners including the USCG, transit of the North West Passage, counter clockwise circumnavigation of North America, and drug operations in the Eastern Pacific transit zone and the Caribbean again in cooperation with the USCG.
USCGC Healy departed for a clockwise circumnavigation of North America on July 10. Presumably these two will arrange to say hello as they pass. Hopefully both crews will be home by Christmas.
CIMSEC has published a two part discussion of planning for Maritime Security Operations written by retired US Coast Guard Captain Andrew Norris.
Much of the discussion is about the inadequacies of the current planning guidance. It picks up in Part 2 with a discussion of the “Constraint-Restraint-Enabler-Imperative (C-R-E-I) Model.”
While written as guidance for the planner, it might also serve as a checklist for the operator, as he prepares execute Maritime Security Operation. Have constraints, restraints, enablers, and imperatives been identified and are they adequately understood? Has training in these consideration been adequate? Do I have everything I need to implement and exploit the enablers?
The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star cuts through Antarctic ice in the Ross Sea near a large group of seals as the ship’s crew creates a navigation channel for supply ships, January 16, 2017. The resupply channel is an essential part of the yearly delivery of essential supplies to the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station.US Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer David Mosley
“Canada-based manufacturer Gastops will collect data on the USCGC Polar Star — a ship built in the 1970s — to create a computer model that can undergo risk assessments at a relatively low cost, said Shaun Horning, president and CEO of the company.”
Results will feed into the planned service life extension intended to allow Polar Star to continue operating, at least until the second Polar Security Cutter is commissioned.
“…replacing the Polar Star’s 30-year-old analog control system with a digital control system will be one aspect of the refurbishment that will need to be tested extensively, Horning noted.”
This is the first time I have heard of the Coast Guard developing a “digital twin,” but this is becoming increasingly common. We can probably expect to hear of this being applied to other Coast Guard systems.
A boat crew from Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg, Florida, conducts training near the station on a new 29-foot response boat-small II Aug. 25, 2014. The Coast Guard placed a delivery order for 20 additional boats Jan. 12, 2018. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Meredith Manning.
Below is a news release from D8. What I found interesting here is,
“Station Memphis is the second of five new Coast Guard stations to be commissioned in the Coast Guard 8th District’s Western Rivers Sectors.”
The push for new infrastructure seems to be working. Also note the statement, “…. is deployable to the Gulf of Mexico for hurricane flood response.” apparently in response to the repeated need to respond to flooding in the Eight District.
| Media Advisory |
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland |
Coast Guard to commission new unit in Memphis
WHO: Capt. Ryan Rhodes, Sector Lower Mississippi River commander, Cmdr. Erick Neussl, Sector Lower Mississippi River deputy commander, Lt. Jamal Scarlett, Sector Upper Mississippi River chaplain, Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Rollins, Station Memphis prospective officer-in-charge.
WHAT: Commissioning ceremony for Coast Guard Station Memphis
WHERE: FedEx Event Center, 415 Great View Drive East, Cordova, TN 38018 (Suite 103)
WHEN: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021 (Media should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m.)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Coast Guard is scheduled Tuesday to commission its newest station, Coast Guard Station Memphis, during a ceremony at the FedEx Event Center in Cordova, Tennessee.
The station is responsible for search and rescue, recreational boating safety, ports, waterways, flood response, and coastal security. The station’s area of responsibility ranges from mile marker 720 to mile marker 750 on the Mississippi River, numerous lakes in Arkansas, and is deployable to the Gulf of Mexico for hurricane flood response. The station is equipped with two 29-Foot Response Boat-Small II and three shallow-water response boats.
Station Memphis is the second of five new Coast Guard stations to be commissioned in the Coast Guard 8th District’s Western Rivers Sectors.
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