Gaps in Coast Guard History

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The US Naval Institute’s News Service has provided access to a Coast Guard report to Congress mandated in the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (Pub. L. No. 113-281).

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on any gaps that exist in writings on the history of the Coast Guard. The report shall address, at a minimum, operations , broad topics, and biographies with respect to the Coast Guard.”

The document is relatively short. There is a fairly long list of topics, but I’m not sure how useful it is. I am sure Bill Wells will have something to say about this.

It seems lately we have seen more from the Atlantic Area Historian than from the Coast Guard Historian.

It also seems the Coast Guard has not “weaponized” its history. The Coast Guard is not using it to enhance the image of the service.

Hybrid Electric Drive (HED)

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US Navy photo, USS Halsey (DDG 97)

The US Naval Institute reports that the Navy intends to put auxiliary electric motors, or hybrid electric drive (HED) system, on 34 Burke Flight IIA guided missile destroyers (DDGs), by adding an electric motors to a preexisting quill drives in the main reduction gear. Reportedly these will power the vessels at up to 13 knots.

These systems will not only save money when the ships are cruising slowly, they will also allow them to remain on station longer.

Although the typical diesel power plant on cutters is more efficient at low speeds than the DDG’s gas turbines, a HED should also be applicable to Coast Guard cutters. We do seem to spend a lot of time cruising slowly. It would also provide a redundant propulsion system as a backup if the main engines were disabled. I am hoping there will be something similar on the Offshore Patrol Cutter.

Surgeries on Small Ships

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The US Naval Institute News service reports a Navy lab is looking into whether surgeries could be performed on “small ships,” specifically the Littoral Combat Ships and the former “Joint High Speed Vessel.”

The select surgical procedures included in the study are stabilizing a fractured pelvis, treating a displaced femur fracture, treating an open wound of the abdominal wall, and a traumatic amputation of the leg. A medical team – consisting of a surgeon, a nurse, a surgical technician and an anesthesiologist – would conduct simulated surgeries in a realistic environment in up to sea state five conditions.

I am not sure why the Navy is doing this, and why specifically sea state five, there are going to be a lot of circumstances when the sea state is lower. Obviously surgeries have been done on small ships in the past. An appendectomy was famously performed on a submarine by a corpsman using a sharpened spoon (although subs have the advantage of being able to submerge out of severe sea conditions).

Perhaps they are talking about putting a surgical module on these ships, and maybe it might fit on Cutters. I’m still hoping the OPC will have some provision for using at least some of the LCS modules.

When we did Ocean Station, cutters deployed with Public Health Service doctors on board, and Midgett did have a SAR case involving a traumatic amputation of a leg in the Bering Sea while I was aboard, but I doubt we could justify regularly deploying with a surgical team. Still, there are circumstances like the 2010 Haiti earthquake when a surgical team and operating room on our cutters could be useful. Big hospital ships are great for some things, but in that case there were several smaller communities that also needed help. Some times you need the ability to spread the capability around.

Oman Buys “Cutter X”

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Another country has begun procuring ships similar to my proposal for “Cutter X.” In this case it is four vessels for the Sultanate of Oman. The program is already well underway. Naval Technology reports two of the four ships have already been accepted and the remaining two should be delivered by the third quarter of 2016. Total cost was reportedly approximately $700M.

It appears that this class may have provided the basis for the design of Singapore’s slightly larger “Littoral Mission Vessel,” (LMV) we talked about earlier, the first of which was launched in July.)

These ships are intended to replace four much smaller 25 meter (82 foot) Al Seeb class patrol boats. In fact it appears that they will receive the names of the vessels they replace.

Power is two 20V8000 MTU diesels, providing roughly 24,000 HP, for a max speed of 25 knots. Endurance is reportedly 14 days with a range of 3,000 miles at 16 knots which should give a range of about 4,500 miles at a slower speed of 10-12 knots.

Armament is an Oto Melara 76mm and two Oto Melara 30mm remotely controlled machine guns.

A clear view of the ships mast, bridge, and electronics can be seen here.

Dimensions:

  • Length, 75 m (246 ft) (overall); 72 meters (236.2) (waterline)
  • Beam: 10.8 m (35.4 ft)
  • Draught: 3.3 m (10.8 ft)
  • Displacement: 1,250 tons

A Possible New Threat to Ports

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Photo: “A computer-generated image of a purpose-built SeaHake mod4 ER torpedo launch vessel that is similar to the ones that Atlas Elektronik said were delivered to its undisclosed launch customer. The two Rmah-class vessels that were delivered to the UAE in 2014 have the same stern hatches and seemingly ordinary shipping containers on their decks. (Atlas Elektronik)”

Jane’s 360 reports that the UAE, “The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is probably operating innocuous-looking vessels that are armed with the world’s longest-range torpedo: a capability that would enable it to target Iranian Kilo-class submarines at their base.”

This is based on a report that German torpedo manufacturer Atlas Elektronik had exported two “floating platform[s] with torpedo-launching gear….to the UAE in 2014, along with underwater detection equipment.”

Atlas Elektronik is the manufacturer of the world’s longest ranged torpedo, the SeaHake Mod4 ER, with a range of 140 kM (75.6 nautical miles). The manufacturer claims the torpedo is “fitted with innovative navigation and communications technology, enabling extremely precise navigation and control of the torpedo over the entire distance.”

Now, I doubt we have any reason to fear an attack by the UAE Navy, but if they have the capability it cannot be long before others do as well. If a torpedo can be precisely guided to a specific geographic location, it would be fairly easy to target almost anything in a port. It could be done by small UAV, but even that is unnecessary. An agent in port could identify the location of targets by observation and reference to google maps.

During WWII the Soviets commonly attacked Axis held ports by launching unguided torpedoes into them. This could take the concept to a whole new level.

(It may be that the UAE is pioneering a new austere type of ASW vessel equipped only with a towed array for detection and targeting and torpedoes to engage the target. They do not need underwater detection equipment to attack subs in port.)

Hull Vane on an OPV

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This is a company promotional, so it must be approached with some skepticism, but if the results are anywhere close to those claimed it looks like it is worth considering.

This is the results of a study of the effects of adding a “hull vane” to the stern of the Netherlands 108 meter (354 foot) Holland Class OPVs.

Since the operational profile for these ships is likely to similar to those of large Coast Guard cutter, this may be worth a look.

  • They claim a 12.5% reduction in fuel consumption,
  • A 4% reduction in heave,
  • A 7%% reduction in pitch, and
  • A 13% reduction in vertical acceleration at the flight deck.

French Building OPVs

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NavyRecognition reports the French have contracted for two OPVs with an option for two more.

In several respects, these ships are very different from most OPVs and particularly the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) and Webber class WPCs.

France has a huge Exclusive Economic Zone, very nearly as large as that of the US, which is the largest in the world. These ships are intended to support France’s many island territories far from European France. Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance is expected to be an important mission for these ships.

Structurally they appear much closer to a typical Offshore Industry Support Vessel. At 70.3 meters (231 feet) long, it is sized between the OPC and the WPC. Speed is relatively low at 14 knots. The crew is smaller than that of the Webber class, while the endurance is similar to that of the much larger OPCs.

Significantly, they have no helicopter facilities.

Prototype Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

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Click to enlarge. From Wikipedia Commons, uploaded by StefKa81 

MarineLog is reporting that Hawaii has commissioned a prototype Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) facility.

Makai Ocean Engineering celebrated the completion of the world’s largest operational Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) power plant…Back in June, Hawaii Governor David Ige signed into law legislation directing the state’s utilities to generate 100 percent of their electricity sales from renewable energy resources by 2045.

The research and development at the plant was funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) through the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), and the infrastructure was funded by Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC).

Why should the Coast Guard care?

This is a technology to watch. The system uses the thermal difference between deep cold water and warm surface water to power a heat engine. This particular installation appears to be shore based, but if it becomes economically viable, since shore locations adjacent to both deep cold water and energy consumers are limited, these may grow into massive offshore structures.  The working fluid is likely to be ammonia which is potentially hazardous. Most ideal locations for this technology are near the equator, much of it in the American Western Pacific EEZ, far from energy consumers. Rather that moving electricity directly ashore they may me used to produce a more portable form of energy, like hydrogen.

These facilities are also likely to provide a secondary benefit of interest to the CG as well, the upwelling of cold nutrient rich waters is expected to create a bloom of sea life. The fishery will need to be managed.