There seems to be proliferation of non-state entity “navies” lately. We have been expecting protests from “Green Peace” against drilling in the Arctic.
Informationdissemination.net/20has some information about the “Sea Shepherds” efforts to expand their fleet, and it looks like the next vessel may be either an icebreaker or at least an ice strengthened vessel. They also note how these groups seem to splinter and create additional new organizations.
Japanese Coast Guard in action against protesters from China and Taiwan, attempting to assert claim to Senkaku as Chinese territory.
Cimsec.org has the story and background.
Today is VJ day. 67 years ago World War II ended. There is a great video here, taken in Hawaii on the day they learned the war was over, and we would not have to invade Japan.
The emotions speak eloquently.
gCaptain is reporting that an American Burke class destroyer, USS Porter (DDG-78), was damaged in a collision with a Panamanian flagged, Japanese owned oil tanker, in the Straits of Hormuz. gCaptain has more photos. There were no reports of injury. 
There has been some interesting news on unmanned air systems (UAS).
A “sense and avoid” radar system has been developed for the the Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) land based system. Replacing “See and Avoid” with no eyes on board has been a problem in integrating UAS with the domestic air traffic control system. This system does not give all around detection, but then eyes don’t see under the plane or what is coming up behind either.
Lighter than air, or in this case slightly heavier than air always seems almost ready. The Army and Northrop Grumman’s optionally manned long endurance, multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV). has had its first flight.
“HAV business development director Hardy Giesler told AIN today that, configured as a freighter, the airship could carry a payload of 20 tonnes, but for the ISR mission it is designed to carry a 2,500-pound payload at 20,000 feet for 21 days. The Army says the airship will perform the ISR mission with fuel consumption 10 times less than that of mission-comparable platforms, and that it will provide a 2,000-mile radius of action.”
I had family visiting for a few days early this week and was unable to post. While I was away a number of stories appeared concerning the Arctic. I will just reference them with short comments.
There is an article here, “On Thin Ice: U.S. Capability Lacking in the Race for the Arctic,” by a recent Annapolis graduate that provides a good primer on the state of US interest in the Arctic and why we should care. It also has some thoughtful recommendations.
AUGUST 7, 2012 — Bruce Harland, Vice President-Commercial Services of Crowley Maritime Corporation, testified this week on behalf of Crowley and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) before a Kodiak, Alaska, field hearing of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The hearing, which was held at the request of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK-R) and led by Subcommittee chairwoman Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), focused on the need for a robust U.S. Coast Guard presence in Alaska as the U.S. pursues expanding navigation opportunities in the Arctic region.
His recommendations included:
- Accurate charting and hydrographic information;
- Greater use of electronic charting and other aids;
- Increased AIS coverage to help identify vessels;
- A vessel traffic system for Unimak Pass and Bering Straits;
- More accurate regional weather and tide information;
- Improved Coast Guard incident response and search and rescue capabilities;
- Greater ice breaking capabilities; and
- Establishment of a Deepwater Arctic Port.
To confirm Mr. Harland’s concern about charts, NOAA is telling us the charts of the Arctic waters are terribly inadequate.
The Commandant advises that while leasing icebreakers may be helpful in the short term, leasing alone is not a long term solution.
Navy times reports the Commandant told a U.S. Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, regarding near term preparations in the Arctic. particularly in regard to Shell’s intention to drill exploratory wells,
“For right now, we are well prepared, because like we always do traditionally, we have multi-mission assets that we can deploy, that are very capable, and that are sufficient for the level of human activity that’s going on this summer and perhaps for the next three or four summers.”
The Coast Guard cutter Juniper (WLB-201) is participating in Exercise Nanook, with Canadian and Danish forces in the waters between Greenland and Canada. This is the third year of CG participation.
Meanwhile the Russians are building a huge new 568 foot long, 33,540 ton, 235,000 HP, nuclear icebreaker to add to their already large fleet, and the they also planning on investing Billions in Arctic infrastructure including bases for the Navy and Maritime Boarder Troops (Coast Guard). I don’t see this as a military threat, but it does seem like the Russians are paying a lot more attention than the US government. They are acting while we wrangle.
Fiercehomelandsecurity is reporting that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has rejected Department auditors’ recommendation that CBP adopt the Coast Guard’s ALMIS aviation maintenance information system.
“‘CBP should promptly terminate’ its planned acquisition of a standalone IT system for aircraft, auditors say–something which James Tomsheck, CBP assistant commissioner for the office of internal affairs, said in the component’s official response to auditors that it won’t do.”
The Department had hoped to increase efficiency by integrating the both CG and CBP aircraft maintenance under a single system.
Read the full story here.
A couple of very interesting videos of clever ideas that work together and might have Coast Guard applications.
First there is this little tracked amphibious truck, which can be launched from and climb back onto the catamaran work boat in the second video. Looks like these might have application in maintaining aids to navigation in rivers, deltas, shallow water, marshes, and possibly over snow and ice.
They might also come in handy during floods and for occasional atypical SAR cases.
Thanks to Lee for bringing these to my attention; I’m pretty sure he saw them at http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/
This is my commentary on the Fleet Mix Studies and GAO’s response to them. Part 1, which outlined the results of the studies and GAO’s reaction is here.
Other, previous, related posts include:
Offshore and Aviation Fleet Mix Study Published
Fleet Mix Where Are the Trade-offs
General Comments applicable to the evaluation process
While the best way to consider acquisitions is to consider lifecycle costs, these don’t seem to have been considered by any of the players involved. The NSCs have crews substantially smaller than the 378s they replaced. Presumably they also have lower maintenance and fuel costs as well. If lifecycle costs were considered there would have been less likelihood the NSCs would have been deferred or cancelled, as they seem to have been.
On the other hand the FRCs and OPCs are likely to cost more than the vessels they replace, except that some of the first OPCs are likely to actually replace 378s, which are probably much more costly to operate.
Also the value of these vessels as national security assets is not considered. Trade-offs of construction of cutters vs Navy ships was not considered.
How the Coast Guard has handled the process:
The Coast Guard may have made all the right decisions regarding type and number of assets, but they have not done a good job of explaining why the decisions are the right one, and they do not seem to have succeeded in building a consensus in favor of the program in the Department, Congress and the Administration. These people like to think they are part of the decision making process and, like it or not, they are. They have to be brought along the decision chain, so that they understand the rationale for the ultimate choices. The Fleet mix studies were an opportunity to do that, that was not fully exploited.
Some of the weaknesses I see in the Coast Guard’s studies were that
It is unfortunate that the Coast Guard took so long to deliver their Fleet Mix Study to Congress. It was certainly not perfect, but Congress asked for it, and it should have been seen as part of a continuing process to build support. Feedback could have been incorporated and there would be an improved product by now. It is still not too late to use follow on studies in an iterative process to help convince decision makers outside the Coast Guard. Continue reading
A Happy Coast Guard Day to all.
The President’s message is here:
http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2012/08/coast-guard-day-message-from-president-obama/
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 