Screen grab from Google Earth

Army Recognition’s Navy News reports,

On April 9, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Public Security of the Republic of Panama and the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The document establishes a framework for cooperative security activities in Panama and formalizes mutual understandings related to the presence and operations of U.S. personnel and contractors in specific Panamanian installations. The memorandum enters into effect on the date of the last signature and is valid for an initial period of three years, renewable for additional three-year terms. Either party may terminate the agreement by written notice with six months’ advance notice.

This might be good news for Coast Guard drug interdiction efforts. FRCs could rotate into and operate out of the naval base on the Pacific side of Panama.

Long term the Coast Guard probably should seek to replicate PATFORSWA somewhere on the Pacific coast of Central and South America from Costa Rica to Ecuador.

Related: What About Panama?

Marine Log reports,

Bollinger Shipyards recently hosted a 9/11 steel transfer ceremony at its Lockport facility that saw the shipyard received two pieces of steel from the debris of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The steel will be incorporated into two U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters bearing the names of 9/11 Heroes Vincent Danz, a Coast Guard reservist and New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, and Jeffrey Palazzo, a Coast Guard reservist and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter.

The cutters are USCGC Vincent Danz (WPC-1162) and USCGC Jeffrey Palazzo (WPC-1163).

From the Bollinger Shipyards’ Facebook page,

April 4: At a 9/11 Steel Transfer Ceremony at our Lockport facility, we honored Vincent Danz, Jeffrey Palazzo and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11. Steel from the Twin Towers will be incorporated into vessels bearing their names—standing as a lasting tribute to their courage, sacrifice, and resilience.

“They were heroes then, heroes now, and their spirit will live on through these vessel. These ships will stand as a testament to the bravery for those that we have lost, not just Vincent and Jeffrey, but the other 2,977 Americans that perished that day.” – Master Chief Francis E. Gorman

Bollinger Shipyards is deeply honored to build the U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters Palazzo and Danz, ensuring the spirit and legacy of these American heroes lives on at sea.

March 28: Yesterday, Bollinger Shipyards had the privilege of paying tribute to two American heroes, Vincent Danz and Jeffrey Palazzo. Both men were U.S. Coast Guard reservists who were also NYPD and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) members who tragically lost their lives attempting to save persons trapped in the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Two pieces of recovered steel from the World Trade Center were escorted from NY/NJ and arrived at our Lockport yard aboard the “Spirit of Louisiana”. These sacred artifacts will be incorporated as centerpieces on USCG Fast Response Cutters currently under construction.

Standing alongside state and local law enforcement, Chief Bryan J. Adams, USCG Rear Admiral Dave Barata, Coast Guard District 8 Commander, and others, we reflected on their bravery and ultimate sacrifice. Their legacy will live on forever. Their courage will never be forgotten.

First know that the Coast Guard has adopted this system, but only for the National Security Cutters.

Potential $198.1M Contract Award for Cutter-Based V-BAT UAS.

The V-BAT in the video is in Coast Guard colors (love it).

The War Zone post that included the video above does not have much, if any, additional info in the text, but some of the comments may be interesting.

The Coast Guard organize deployable teams to operate these from WMECs that deploy without helicopters. Apparently USGCG Mohawk was recently deployed to the Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone for 70 days without either a helicopter or a UAS. We might also consider operating them from ashore. They say it only needs a 15’x15′ area for take-off and landing. That might even fit on a Webber class WPC on the O-1 deck forward of the bridge.  The beam of the FRCs is 26.6′. Part of the O-1 deck might be extended over the walkways on either side if necessary.

A suspected drug vessel burns in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Feb. 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Below is a news release from District Seven. I have highlighted some parts of the news release–mention of UAS, intercept locations, and sightings of multiple suspected smuggling craft. I went back and similarly highlighted the same information in the previous USCGC Stone offload report, which I will refer back to, because it shows a similar pattern.

A few things of note:

• USCGC James, Stone, and Mohawk were all down in the Eastern Pacific drug transit zone simultaneously. All three began their patrols before the “surge.” All three are Atlantic Area ships, home-ported in Charleston and Key West. It may be counter-intuitive, but these bases are closer to the Eastern Pacific transit Zones, than any Pacific Area ports.
• This news release lists three incidents where groups of suspected smuggling craft were sighted together. The earlier news release about Stone’s highly successful patrol was the first such report I have seen. Stone managed to bag all four vessels they observed on February 19. James managed to stop three on January 6. In two other cases (Jan. 30 and Feb. 3) only one of the group was intercepted.
• In this report, UAS were mentioned as instrumental in completing the intercept in four out of eight incidents including one when James intercepted three go-fast boats. Looking back at Stone’s earlier report, UAS were mentioned as important in four of eight cases including the incident in which she intercepted four go-fast boats in 15 minutes. UAS appear to have been essential for maintaining contact with fleeing boats in those cases where multiple boats are being pursued simultaneously.
• I have been surprised in both reports by how far offshore and how far South go-fast boats are being intercepted. In this report, all James’ intercepts were more than 200 miles off shore, including a report of multiple go-fast boats 380 miles off the coast of Peru. In the USCGC Stone report, an intercept was made 715 miles from shore. The screen grab below is from Google Earth. The line extending West from Peru is 500 km in length, about 270 miles. The Galápagos Islands can be seen near the left edge. They are 900 km (486 nautical miles) West of mainland Ecuador.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

April 9

Mark Twain, age 31, 30 September 1867

1859  Samuel Clemens, who later gained fame as a writer under the pseudonym Mark Twain, was issued a steamboat pilot’s certificate.

REVENUE CUTTER LINCOLN

1867  The Senate ratified a treaty to purchase Alaska from Russia.  The cutter Lincoln was dispatched with LT George W. Moore, USRM, as the first U.S. agent in the territory.

USCGC Northland, 1944

1941  The United States and Denmark signed an “agreement relating to the defense of Greenland.”  The Coast Guard, in part because of its experience in the Arctic environment, was the principal service used to carry out the agreement.  The first action seen by U.S. forces in World War II was the seizure of a weather station and a pro-German vessel in Greenland waters by CGC Northland just before the U.S. officially entered the war.

USCGC Cleat (WYTL-65615)

1974  The oil tanker Elias docked at the Atlantic Richfield Terminal in Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, caught fire.  CG-40412 responded and was first on scene and began SAR for any crew who jumped overboard.  CG-40412 crewman Kim Lee remembered: “The response for our crew on 40412 was looking for personnel off the ship Elias that might be in the water.  We were first on scene and I called back to base giving the update.  The request by us was to shut the Delaware River down to all traffic due to crude oil on fire extending completely across the Delaware River.  Captain of the Port (Capt. Goodwin) shut the river down which stopped all vessels traffic in the area.  A while had passed and we then received a distress call from the Coast Guard Cutter Cleat and we quickly responded toward the Cleat.  The crewmen from the Cleat were in the water and the Cleat was on fire and drifting into the Elias which was totally involved in fire.  My crew (Petty officer Joe Friel and Allen Mowbray) began pulling the crew out of the river.  We then attached a tow line on the burning Cleat and began towing it toward the middle of the channel.  At one point while towing the Cleat our engines on the 40412 stopped because of the ships (Elias) mooring lines in our props.  My crew quickly pulled up the mooring lines and cut them apart with a hand ax.  Freeing one engine we were able to pull the Cleat to safety and put out the fires on the Cleat.  All members of the Cleat crew were accounted for but one engine men who we found still down in the engine room trying to start the Cleat’s main.”

SeaRAM

The War Zone Reports,

The U.S. Navy plans to add RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles(RAM) to the arsenals of its Arleigh Burke class destroyers to boost their defenses against incoming cruise missiles, drones, and other air and surface threats. RAM launchers will take the place of existing 20mm Vulcan cannon-armed Mk 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems (CIWS), but the exact final configuration will differ depending on the sub-class of ship.

Replacing the Phalanx with SeaRAM on National Security Cutters would be a major improvement in their ability to survive an air attack. It has much greater range and greater ability to deal with multiple targets, as well as much better anti-surface capabilities, than the Phalanx which has an absolute max range of about three miles and an effective range of about one mile.

It is an easy swap.

The SeaRAM combines the radar and electro-optical system of the Phalanx CIWS Mk-15 Block 1B (CRDC) with an 11-cell RAM launcher to produce an autonomous system—one which does not need any external information to engage threats. Like the Phalanx, SeaRAM can be fitted to any class of ship. Due to the common mounting, SeaRAM inherits the relatively easy installation characteristics of its gun-based sibling, with Raytheon stating that SeaRAM “fits the exact shipboard installation footprint of the Phalanx, uses the same power and requires minimal shipboard modification”. In 2008, the first SeaRAM system was delivered to be installed on USS Independence.

The Missile: 

RAM or Rolling Airframe Missile, RIM-116, is a relatively small, relatively cheap, quite  mature weapon system having its Initial Operational Capability in 1992. Fitting SeaRAM would bring the NSC’s weapons fit more in line with that of the LCSs which are also fitted with the 57mm Mk110 and RAM. RAM is currently fitted on virtually every US Navy surface combatants other than cruisers which will soon be decommissioned and the destroyers that will be getting the system.

Anti-Surface Capability:

RAM would also provide an enhanced anti-surface capability. SeaRAM would be an excellent complement to the 57mm Mk 110. The 57mm has a greater maximum range than the RAM, but effective ranges are similar, at five to six miles. SeaRAM has only eleven rounds immediately available, but it’s combination of high hit probability, Mach 2+ speed, 164 pound mass, and a 1.3 kg (24 lb 15 oz) warhead means it can inflict significant damage quickly.

(Eleven rounds times 164 pounds equals 1804 pounds. That mass is equal to 340 rounds of 57mm HE and the RAM probably has a higher hit probability.)

Why isn’t the Navy Converting all Phalanx?

The fact that the Navy is not replacing all Phalanx systems with SeaRAM might suggest they don’t believe RAM is necessary for all classes, but, actually, every US Navy combatant that has a Phalanx, also has a longer ranged missile system. If they don’t have the longer ranged Standard or ESSM missile systems, then they have RAM, many have more than one.

Hopefully all Coast Guard NSC Phalanx systems will be replaced by SeaRAM.

The Offshore Patrol Cutter:

For many potential naval missions, OPCs are interchangeable with the NSCs. They probably should be similarly equipped. If the NSCs need SeaRAM, the OPCs need it more.

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

April 8

U.S.R.C. Onondaga, America’s Cup races, 1901. Library of Congress.

1902  President Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and his party of 40 guests boarded USRC Onondaga in Charleston Harbor.  The cutter, which had been dressed in “rainbow fashion,” extended to the President “all honors as prescribed by the Regulations, Revenue Cutter Service.”  The cutter and its crew of transported them to Fort Sumter and back. The cutter expended “42 6 pdr saluting charges” by firing two separate 21-gun salutes.

1909  Race Point, Massachusetts: The sloop Keewaydin IV’s mast was carried away and the sloop anchored 2 miles SW of station, but dragged ashore.  Station crew was on the beach when she struck and the keeper rowed out surf and threw a heaving line on board.  One of the two men was rescued by this means.  The other jumped overboard and was pulled ashore by the keeper.  The sloop drifted up on the beach and became a total wreck.

USRC Seneca, 1908

1913 USRC Seneca, designed from the keel up as the nation’s first “derelict destroyer,” inaugurated the service’s participation in the International Ice Patrol.

SAULT SAINT MARIE, Mich. (Sept. 15)–The Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay (WTGB 101) is tied to the pier at Group Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. USCG photo by PA1 Harry C. Craft III

1978 CGC Katmai Bay was launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Inc., in Tacoma, Washington.  Katmai Bay was the first cutter in the Coast Guard’s new class of icebreaking harbor tugs.  The cutter was sponsored by Ms. Jeanmarie Griffin.

Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) visited Palmer Station, a United States research station on the Antarctic peninsula, March 3, 2023, after completing a successful deployment in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023. This was the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star’s first visit to Palmer Station in 35 years. Operation Deep Freeze is one of many operations in the Indo-Pacific in which the U.S. military promotes security and stability across the region. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Aidan Cooney)

2023 CGC Polar Star returned to Seattle 8 April 2023 following a 144-day deployment to Antarctica. The deployment marks the ship’s 26th journey to Antarctica as part of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations. Polar Star departed Seattle on 14 November 2022, traveling more than 25,000 miles through the North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, Southern, and South Atlantic Oceans. While en route, the crew made two stops in Australia. After arriving in Antarctica, the cutter broke a 15.3-mile channel through fast ice to create a route for cargo vessels to reach McMurdo Station. The cutter then departed the Antarctic region on March 2. On the return journey, the ship crossed the Drake Passage, rounded Cape Horn, and stopped in Chile. At the stop in Valparaiso, Chile the Polar Star’s crew conducted exchanges with the Chilean Navy and First Naval Zone members. “The completion of this mission is a testament to our crew’s hard work, sacrifice, and dedication,” said CAPT Keith Ropella, Polar Star’s commanding officer.