Three New References

Posted on by
3

I have added and linked three recent publications to the References Page.

Two from Ronald O’Rourke and the Congressional Research Service:

  • “Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress” (pdf) Congressional Research Service, Ronald O’Rourke, Coordinator, Specialist in Naval Affairs, March 28, 2013
  • “Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress,”Congressional Research Service, Ronald O’Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs, March 15, 2013

And one from the JCS:

  • Joint Publication 1, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States, March 25, 2013

What Do We Do With All These Drones Now?

Posted on by
1

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

Uncertainty in the Arctic

Posted on by
Reply

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”

VT Halter launches USNS Maury (T-AGS 66)

Posted on by
2

March 27, MarineLog reported the launching and christening of USNS Maury (T-AGS 66) at VT Halter Marine, one of the eight yards reportedly bidding on the Offshore Patrol Cutter Contract. With a reported length of 353 feet, a beam of 58 feet, and a displacement of 5,000 tons, this ship is almost certainly larger than the projected Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), perhaps twice as large, yet it is reported to have cost only $87M (FY2010), while the OPCs will be in the neighborhood of $300 each, why the difference?

There is the difference in speed, the Maury’s max is 16 knots, while that of the OPC is 22-25. The OPC has aviation facilities, weapons, communications equipment, and sensors that the Maury does not. Maury is the seventh ship of the Pathfinder Class, although it is modified by the addition of a “moon pool” and 24 feet additional length, so they have some advantage of experience. The OPC will be built to a higher standard of survivability. Inflation in the ship building industry is higher than for the economy as a whole, so costs will be up by the time the first OPC construction contract is awarded in perhaps 2015. The $87M represents only the amount paid to he yard while the Coast Guard’s cost will include government furnished equipment, supporting personnel costs, and changes to infrastructure.

The OPCs certainly will not be this inexpensive, but it does provide some hope that they can be built at something close to the projected price.