Blog Feed: CGBlog.org :: An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog

Wednesday, April 13, the President asked for a new roles and missions analysis, with the intention of saving $400B from “security spending,” over the next twelve years. Reportedly this will include the departments of Homeland Security,

Bernard C. Webber Launches, 21 April

Published on 2011-04-20 19:20:42

The Bernard C. Webber, first of the Sentinel Class Cutters (aka Fast Response Cutters), will launch tomorrow, Thursday, 21 April. The Cutterman facebook page has some new photos. This is a very big Patrol Boat.

Escanaba Headed South–Way South

Published on 2011-04-20 18:31:24

Cutter Escanaba is participating in Exercise UNITAS, April 15 to May 9, along with Destroyer Nitze and Frigates Boone and Thach. Escanaba is a very internet savvy ship. You can follow her on facebook here. Other participants will include units from

An Optionally Manned Patrol Boat?

Published on 2011-04-20 17:44:53

Military.com has an interesting video here. Of course as the structure of a boat gets lighter, it can carry more, go faster, or require less power to push it at speed. This one is made of a composite honeycomb sandwich. They claim a range of 3,000 mi

Future Helicopters

Published on 2011-04-19 16:45:18

Interesting discussion of the future of rotary winged aircraft here. How does greater range and twice as fast sound?

Advocacy

Published on 2011-04-18 18:21:06

The Seventeenth District Commander had a nice piece in the Juneau Empire on 17 April talking about why building the Bertholf Class “National Security Cutters” (NSC) is important to Alaska. I’m a lot more worried about getting the Of

Piracy update–April 15, 2011

Published on 2011-04-15 17:50:01

The first quarter of 2011 saw record numbers of pirate attacks, 142 of which 97 of the attacks (70%) occurred off the coast of Somalia, up from 35 in the same period last year. Attackers seized 18 vessels worldwide, including three big tankers, and c

Protecting the Iraqi Oil Terminals–the Drawdown Begins

Published on 2011-04-15 12:25:38

The Coast Guard has had a major role in protecting the two offshore oil terminals through which flow most of Iraq’s oil exports. This is the source of most of the Iraqi government’s capital. 110 foot WPBs and Navy patrol craft have been p

Former CG Master Chief to Manage FRC Program at Bollinger

Published on 2011-04-15 10:10:08

The MarineLog reports Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has appointed former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Charles “Skip” Bowen as Program Manager for the FRC “Sentinel” Class Patrol Boat building program at Bollinger

Lasers vs Small Boats–the Low Cost Solution? Will We Have the Power?

Published on 2011-04-12 16:24:18

Here is more evidence that laser weapons are on the way, although the video does not look that impressive. We have already seen video of lasers taking out air targets, which has to be more demanding, so the fact that lasers can start a fire on a boat

Lessons learned from shutdown fears…

Published on 2011-04-09 02:02:39

I hadn’t expected to feel the fear of as of next week, I might not have a pay check. (Even though I would still be going to work.) This fear was something that I had been lucky enough in the economy of the last few years, to have avoided. Whe

Change to RSS Feed URLs

Published on 2011-04-07 20:14:54

CGBlog Community, Please be aware that we have discontinued use of Google’s FeedBurner service for the publishing of CGBlog’s RSS feeds of our content. We’ve found the service to be unreliable and of minimal benefit to our readers,

UAVs, Let’s Try This One

Published on 2011-04-01 18:22:29

Here is a UAV that is already in use by the Navy. The ScanEagle, is so small it could operate routinely from the Webber Class WPCs. Wing Span 10.25 ft (3.12m) Length 6.5 ft (1.98m) Max Take Off Weight 44-48.5 lb. (22 kg) Max speed 80 knots Cruise spe

UAVs, Let’s Try This One

Published on 2011-04-01 18:22:29

A Coast Guard Woman of World War II

Published on 2011-03-31 17:37:51

The first African-American woman to join the Coast Guard in 1945, Olivia Hooker, 96 (she retired at age 87), provided some prospective as she met with service men and women of the current generation. “I have seen a lot of progress,” che

A Coast Guard Woman of World War II

Published on 2011-03-31 17:37:51

Libya, What Goes Around

Published on 2011-03-30 12:01:41

Yesterday was a bad day for the Libyan Coast Guard (here, here, and here). You have to have some sympathy for sailors who find themselves so over-matched, the largest vessel was smaller than a 110, but we can also recall that Qaddafi’s forces a

Libya, What Goes Around

Published on 2011-03-30 12:01:41

Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC)–Minor Update

Published on 2011-03-30 11:28:15

The Acquisition Directorate has given us another illustration of an OPC conceptual design, apparently the same design used earlier. Acquisition Directorate’s Disclaimer: “The conceptual renderings posted on this website are for artistic d

Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC)–Minor Update

Published on 2011-03-30 11:28:15

Welcome Home Vietnam Vererans Day, March 30, 2011

Published on 2011-03-30 10:48:34

Marines Blog, the official blog of the US Marine corps reports, “The U.S. Senate passed a resolution on March 7, 2011, declaring March 30 ‘Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.’ The resolution currently awaits a decision by the House.

Welcome Home Vietnam Vererans Day, March 30, 2011

Published on 2011-03-30 10:48:34

Name Changes at Military Sealift Command

Published on 2011-03-29 18:22:02

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) has changed some of their organizational titles, apparently without any real change in organization. Here are the changes. Former Name New Name Sealift Logistics Command Atlantic (SEALOGLANT) Military Sealift Comman

Name Changes at Military Sealift Command

Published on 2011-03-29 18:22:02

Creative Tension in Ship Construction

Published on 2011-03-29 16:06:46

As the Coast Guard builds it’s Acquisitions Directorate it may be useful to consider some ship building history. It’s almost two years old now, but Norman Friedman reflected on the “creative tension” that once characterized bo

Creative Tension in Ship Construction

Published on 2011-03-29 16:06:46

President to Speak at the Academy, May 18

Published on 2011-03-29 12:47:12

The Navy Times reports President Obama is planning to give the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy Class of 2011 graduation ceremony on May 18. You can see last year’s West Point commencement address here: http://www.youtube.com/wat

President to Speak at the Academy, May 18

Published on 2011-03-29 12:47:12

MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems)–Will We See These?

Published on 2011-03-29 12:39:07

A recent post concerning the unexpected presence of high tech Russian made SA-24, man portable anti-aircraft missiles in no-fly zone over Libya had an interesting side note, “Venezuela, for example, is buying thousands of SA-24s, and internatio

MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems)–Will We See These?

Published on 2011-03-29 12:39:07

Disaster in Japan–US Military Assistance

Published on 2011-03-28 11:05:59

Japan Security Watch provides a snap shot of what the US military is doing to aid in this disaster.

Piracy, Indian Navy and Coast Guard Score Again

Published on 2011-03-27 14:35:07

For the forth time this year, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard has taken down a pirate mother-ship. Responding to an attack in progress on the merchant ship MV Maersk Kensington, they not only foiled the attack, they went on to capture 16 pirates and

Towed Array Sonar–A Tool for Drug Interdiction

Published on 2011-03-26 19:51:23

The use of “Self Propelled Semi-Submersibles” (SPSS), semi-submersibles that run with only a snorkel above water, and true submersibles by drug smuggling organizations represents a serious challenge to efforts to interdict drug traffickin

Maritime Interdiction Operations off Libya

Published on 2011-03-25 10:13:14

The US and other nations have begun a maritime interdiction operation off Libya. I would not be surprised to see some Coasties involved. There is an early explanation of how the operation is currently organized here. That the organization is convolut

The Commandant Answers–the National Security Cutters: Multiple Crewing, Build Rates, OPC Compared

Published on 2011-03-24 15:03:40

The Commandant has been good enough to answer three more of our questions, and we expect to hear more in the near future. Today we hear more about the National Security Cutter (NSC). USCG National Security Cutter BERTHOLF (WMSL-750) Will the Coast Gu

Multiple crewing for Fast Response Cutters

Published on 2011-03-23 13:20:30

If you are a regular reader of the posts here, you know that I have not been a fan of the “Crew Rotation Concept” that is supposed to make up for the fact that we are only building eight NSC to replace twelve Hamilton Class WHECs by home-

A run for fallen Coast Guardsmen; raising money for the Coast Guard Foundation’s Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund

Published on 2011-03-22 06:50:35

On Saturday, May 14, 2011, LT Brian Bruns will embark on a 100 mile running journey through the Florida Keys as a participant in the Keys 100 Ultramarathon. As part of this physical challenge, Bruns, a Coast Guard Lieutenant stationed in Portsmouth,

18 March 1945, CG manned DEs Sink U866

Published on 2011-03-17 18:58:59

The Naval History and Heritage Command noted, “On 18 March 1945, USS Menges (DE 320), USS Mosely (DE 321), USS Pride (DE 323) and USS Lowe (DE 325) sank the German submarine U 866 south of Nova Scotia.” These four Destroyer Escorts were a

Acquisition Directorate Newsletter, March 2011

Published on 2011-03-17 13:25:54

The March 2011 issue of the Acquisition Directorate Newsletter, “Delivering the Goods” is available here. As usual there are two articles: “Turning Inward: Addressing the Coast Guard’s Inland Fleet” “Interagency Operat

Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) Ship Proposal

Published on 2011-03-17 12:18:46

The Naval Institute Blog has an interesting proposal for re-purposing Navy ships that are planned to be decommissioned specifically for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. This would include partnership station and cooperation with NGOs. The

Coast Guard, Piracy in the IO, and the American EEZ

Published on 2011-03-17 11:55:15

Over the last couple of years we have heard repeatedly that the area of the Indian Ocean (IO), where pirates operate is huge, too large to be patrolled effectively by the rather large international force already there. We might take the opportunity t

WMD Material Bound from China to Iran Seized in Malasia

Published on 2011-03-17 11:50:14

The Coast Guard has rightly become concerned about what may be shipping in all those containers. We just had the Israeli intercept at sea, and now we hear that a couple of weeks ago, Malaysia seized two containers loaded with embargoed material that

Israeli Navy Seizes Arms Smuggler with ASCMs on board

Published on 2011-03-16 11:39:27

The Israeli Navy has interdicted an arms smuggling vessel 200 miles off their coast. The arms are believed to have been en route Hamas in the Gaza strip, and there is speculation that the weapons, at least some of which were made in Iran, were delive

Piracy Update: Pirates 61 Captured, 14 Indicted, 5 Sentenced

Published on 2011-03-15 20:22:40

The Indian Navy captured 61 pirates and freed 13 hostages in their third mothership take down of the year. The two previous operations were Jan. 28 and Feb 5. Sixty-one seems like a lot of pirates on a small ship. A US court sentenced 5 pirates who h

Photo Contest Winners Announced

Published on 2011-03-15 19:55:57

The Coast Guard Compass has announced the winners of their 2010 People’s Choice Photo Contest. You can see them here.

Does This Mean the Chinese Will Create an American Style Coast Guard?

Published on 2011-03-15 18:18:59

This is the second time I’ve seen reference to Chinese frustration with the fractured nature of their maritime law enforcement organization. As mentioned before, China currently has five different agencies that share “coast guard” d

Chinese “Coast Guard” to Help Japan

Published on 2011-03-14 19:17:35

China Defense Blog is reporting China’s Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) is sending one of its largest cutters, the MSA21, to join search and rescue efforts in Japan, and that this will be their first mission outside China. Good to see this

What Does It Take to Sink a Ship?

Published on 2011-03-14 11:26:18

The Coast Guard spends much more time thinking about how to keep ships from sinking, than it does about how to sink them. But because the Coast Guard is tasked with maritime security and because of the potential for terrorists using a ship as a means

World’s Fastest Helicopter, Could This Be In the CG’s Future?

Published on 2011-03-14 10:19:35

Nice look at some future technology, a 250 knot helicopter.

The National Research Council warn of a flooded Coast Guard (and Navy)

Published on 2011-03-10 18:57:52

The timing of a recent study National Research Council is seemingly ill timed; however, in the history of these kinds of studies the case of bad timing is usually the norm. An Associated Press piece found on NavyTimes brings forth yet another polar c

The Commmandant Answers–Future of WLR, WLI, WLIC, WTGB, WYTL

Published on 2011-03-09 12:32:15

Shortly after the “State of the Coast Guard” address, the Commandant contacted us and offered to take some questions. Ryan Erickson, Bill Wells, and I took advantage of this generous offer and generated several–probably more than we

Old Cutter Alert WPC/WSC/WMEC-127

Published on 2011-03-08 15:08:01

Ran across an effort to preserve a bit of our heritage. These volunteers’ mission to “…preserve, maintain and operate the old United States Coast Guard Cutter Alert, WSC-127 as a living museum. As one of the last warships represen

“Charting the Coast Guard’s Course,” by Commandant

Published on 2011-03-08 11:49:38

The March 2011 US Naval Institute “Proceedings” has an article by the Commandant which is available on line. Check it out. �

Coast Guard Dominates Helicopter Association International Awards

Published on 2011-03-07 17:07:36

Aviation International News reports, “Helicopter crews and mechanics serving with the U.S. Coast Guard have been awarded four of the HAI’s (Helicopter Association International) eight “Salute To Excellence” awards to be presented this yea

Memorial fundraiser for the memorial for the crew of the Rescue CG1705

Published on 2011-03-07 07:42:35

1705. The number is engraved into the heads of hundreds of people throughout the Coast Guard and its extended family. It is, of course, the tail number of Coast Guard Rescue 1705 that perished while on a SAR mission off the coast of California taking

Coastie… are you PCSing this summer? I got a GROUP for you…

Published on 2011-03-06 19:40:14

There never seems to be anything quite like the anticipation of doing a PCS move in the Coast Guard. I know for the Erickson house we’ve become accustom to the move and in fact look forward to it each time. Though we look forward to the moves t

Shipbuilding, Dealing with Reality

Published on 2011-03-06 19:24:39

The Coast Guard’s fleet of large cutters is facing a budgetary “perfect storm,” and if it is to survive without a major reduction in numbers, a change in procurement strategy is required. The NSCs cost as much as an entire year

Port Security Breakthough?

Published on 2011-03-06 16:25:40

Saw a story about this done by a San Diego Television Station, CBS8, (See the video) on the Coast Guard’s “News and Blog Summary.” If it works as advertised, it could be a huge step forward in port security and maritime domain awa

“Fire on the Horizon” is an awesome journey following the birth and death of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon

Published on 2011-03-06 06:16:00

I finished reading Fire on the Horizon last night and in my attempt to sum up the events surrounding the sinking of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon I’ve chosen “complicated.” Don’t read that as my take on the book itself; no, th

Third Coast Guard SEAL received his trident today!

Published on 2011-03-04 19:07:25

In what seems to be a fairly low key ceremony, of which OPSEC is clearly and issue, the Navy SEAL program ushered in their third Coast Guardsman to their elite group today. Not found via the tradition means of news or press releases the Coast Guard&#

USCGC Chase to Nigeria

Published on 2011-03-04 17:11:38

We had heard earlier that one or more of the 378s would be going to the Philippine Navy. And we got an update from “jammerjamesky” that, “PN Sailor in Alameda, California for Training. USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-718) will be used for imme

“Queen of the Fleet,” 67 year old Acushnet, to be Decom March 11

Published on 2011-03-04 16:28:49

A ship with a log and proud tradition, USCGC Acushnet (WMEC-167) will soon be decommissioned. More about her and the impact of her decommissioning on her homeport, Ketchikan, here. � � � USCGC Smilax (WLIC 315), commissioned in 1944, w

Quick Video Tour of Morro Bay’s Engineroom

Published on 2011-03-04 12:25:51

We have had a recent series from the Icebreaking tug USCGC Morro Bay (WTGB 106) as she deployed from her homeport in New York to the Great Lakes to help with icebreaking there. Here is a very quick video of her engineroom. Looking good for a 30 year

MIDGETT with Semi-Submersible Captured 1/20/2011

Published on 2011-03-03 18:11:42

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett interdicts drug smuggler 335 miles off the coast of Costa Rica 1/20/2011 United States Coast Guard Source here. Not exactly news, but this was a ship I served on (before the make-over), and the picture was to good to pass u

Coast Guard’s looking for a new Public Affairs Deputy [jobs]

Published on 2011-03-03 07:49:29

It’s stating to look as if the Coast Guard’s public affairs program is pushing for a boost in top-cover leadership. And the timing is impeccable; or rather there’s some irony to it. The Coast Guard has recently solicited for a new p

Budget Realities Setting In?

Published on 2011-03-02 14:31:32

The Marine Log is reporting “House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) set a no-nonsense tone when he opened up a hearing yesterday to review the Administration’s budget requests for the U

MARSEC4.com is THE site for maritime security professionals

Published on 2011-03-02 08:07:42

If you’re a fan of maritime law enforcement by way of conducting the mission or supporting it I think you’ll like the new site MARSEC4. Born from the ashes of 14USC89.com this site is aimed at encompassing the entire mission of maritime l

USCG Commandant speaks to the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine Transportation on FY12 budget

Published on 2011-03-01 15:10:06

Today ADM Papp spoke before the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine Transportation on our, the Coast Guard’s, Fiscal Year 2012 budget request. I haven’t had a chance to read his prepared testimony (PDF Warning!) as of yet, as it&

Arctic Patrol Vessel–New Zealand

Published on 2011-03-01 13:44:24

New Zealand has produced a couple of Canadian designed ice strengthened offshore patrol vessels, HMNZS WELLINGTON and OTAGO, that they intend to use to support their operations in the Antarctic. WELLINGTON has recently completed her first deploymen

Fast Response Cutter Photos

Published on 2011-03-01 13:12:10

The Cutterman facebook page has published some more photos of the Fast Response Cutter Webber (and possibly a bow on view of a follow-on ship). Unfortunately they are all taken from low on the starboard bow or directly on the bow so we don’t ge

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell training… what’s your tier?

Published on 2011-03-01 09:30:54

Update: This post has been modified to comply with Coast Guard information release standards. LET THE TRAINING BEGIN! The Coast Guard has sent out what’s sure to be a plethora of updates on the formal repeal of 10 USC 654 which is more commonly

“Fire on the Horizon” is on sale today [books]

Published on 2011-03-01 06:03:49

I just wanted to drop a quick reminder that today is the day that gCaptian’s own John Konrad and Tom Shroder’s FIRE ON THE HORIZON goes on sale. As I mentioned last week I got the book and as of now I’m about half way through (though I&

ADM Papp is selling his house and TRICARE is out of control

Published on 2011-03-01 05:05:49

In his State of the Coast Guard Address this past month Admiral Papp mentioned that this year is The Year of the Coast Guard Family which is to translate to a few updates to some of our current housing, child care, and worklife programs. In a message

Casting Coasties for a Discovery Channel show

Published on 2011-02-28 17:15:10

The Discovery Channel is creating a new action/adventure show called “The Assailant”, produced by television production company Renegade 83. The new show is intended to be a military and law enforcement competition series. It will featu

Welcome to the Quarterdeck… the AMVER podcast

Published on 2011-02-28 17:05:20

If you’ve been following the progression of the military, specifically Coast Guard, social media scene you’ll no doubt be aware of Ben Strong. What? No? How about AMVER? Well Ben’s the face, behind the keyboard, of AMVER… ther

Last American WWI vet has passed away

Published on 2011-02-28 13:39:48

Frank Buckles, the last known American veteran of World War I, has passed away, only three a few weeks after turning 110 years old. Buckles served in the Army as an ambulance driver during the first world war, and as a civilian during the second

Perhaps yachts should be careful in the Horn of Africa too… [common sense]

Published on 2011-02-28 08:49:24

I took last week off to tend to maters of a school final paper and then a storm of news and updates flooded the media circuits. It was hard to stay away and now I feel late to the party. Nonetheless, I can start off this week fresh… Last week t

Patrol Boats for Iraqi Navy–Ready to Take Over?

Published on 2011-02-27 16:58:03

The Iraqi Navy has accepted the second and third of a projected class of fifteen 35 meter (115 foot) patrol boats that will ultimately take over security duties at their offshore oil terminals now provided by Coast Guard 110 foot and Navy Cyclone Cla

Drug Running “How to” and Radioactive Shipping Containers

Published on 2011-02-26 17:31:28

Eagle Speak has taken a break from his usual favorite topic of piracy to talk about drug smuggling and Port Security. Starting with reference to a Wall Street Journal book review (I Am the Market: How to Smuggle Cocaine by the Ton, In Five Easy Lesso

The Battle for Convoy ON-166, 25 February 1943

Published on 2011-02-25 12:46:24

The Navy History Center is featuring a short narrative and photos from this classic convoy battle between eight escorts lead by Coast Guard Cutters Spencer and Campbell and 19 U-boats during the critical winter months of 1943. For more information on

The Brits are not pulling out the the Western Atlantic/Caribbean

Published on 2011-02-24 16:04:31

Some of you may have seen reports such as this, that the Royal Navy is ending its warship patrols in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. This would be significant for the Coast Guard, because of the long and successful cooperation between the Royal N

Changing US Naval Institute Mission Statement

Published on 2011-02-24 15:08:43

Hopefully, many of you are US Naval Institute members. The board is recommending changes to the organization’s mission statement. Members will get a chance to vote on the changes. Reservations about the proposed changes are not so much about wh

Acquisitions Directorate Newletter, Feb 2011

Published on 2011-02-24 14:50:41

The new Acquisitions Directorate Newsletter for February 2011 is available here. The topics are Coast Guard Awards Contracts for National Security Cutters 4 & 5 The Ocean Sentry: The Coast Guard’s Multi-Mission Aircraft Plus Command Master Chie

S/V Quest, Day After Reflections and Questions

Published on 2011-02-23 12:44:34

“Informationdissemination.net” has an interesting discussion of US policies regarding piracy. There are some very strong feelings evident in the wake of the murder of the four Americans on board the Quest.

Why Arm Coast Guard Assets?

Published on 2011-02-22 16:19:55

Historically there have been two reasons to arm Coast Guard assets. Since 9/11 there is clearly another. Historically Coast Guard units were armed for law enforcement and to act as a naval reserve. The rationale added since 9/11 is to stop a maritime

USCG’s FY12 Congressional Budget Justification

Published on 2011-02-22 06:44:37

A quick post (I’m in school final mode this week) to let you know that DHS/CG have released a 400+ page justification document (PDF) for their FY12 budget request. I admit I haven’t had time to read it as I’m engrossed in other read

A Call for More Coast Guard in the Pacific

Published on 2011-02-21 20:23:00

The US has the largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world (roughly 12,000,000 sq.km.), and roughly a fourth of it is in the Pacific, far south of Alaska, and west of Hawaii, in fact much more of it than is in the Arctic. While warming Arctic

Mediterranean Boat Lift–EU Response

Published on 2011-02-21 14:09:15

The unrest in North Africa is creating something like a “Boat Lift” situation in the Mediterranean. Increased European integration, in the form of an EU agency called Frontex, is providing some assistance to the nations of Southern Europe

HC-144 Gun Ship?

Published on 2011-02-21 13:08:32

An American company (ATK, Alliant Techsystems Inc), is modifiying the same basic airframe used for the Coast Guard HC-144 (the EADS CASA, now Airbus Military, CN-235) into a miniature AC-130 for the Jordanian Air Force. Source. Image: http://cgig.usc

Piracy Update, Feb. 20, 2010

Published on 2011-02-20 02:11:30

It looks like al Shabaab, the Somali branch of al Qaeda, is trying to get a share of the piracy profits. The post also referenced an interesting discussion of how al Shabaab is financed here. Lloyds of London may be establishing a fleet of patrol b

New Photo, Fast Response Cutter Bernard C. Webber

Published on 2011-02-19 14:10:29

The Cutterman’s Association has posted a new picture of the Sentinel class WPC Bernard C. Webber. Looks like she is very close to being launched.

Happy 70th Anniversary to the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve

Published on 2011-02-19 12:34:03

On behalf of the entire CGBlog crew I wish the Coast Guard Reserves a very happy 70th! I’d like to quote ADM Papp by stating You are a vital component of our Coast Guard and I am proud of your commitment and selfless service. I encourage all te

Relative Size, Navy and CG, Manpower and Budget

Published on 2011-02-18 18:14:26

A quick comparison between the size of the Navy Department (which includes the Marines as well as the Navy) and the Coast Guard and the relative size of their FY2012 budget requests: Active Duty Personnel: ………………&#

The FY2012 AC&I Budget Request for Vessels

Published on 2011-02-17 19:23:09

The FY 2012 budget for “vessels” is a year without major funding for the National Security Cutter (NSC) project. It only includes $77M to finish funding the fifth ship. Consequently, even though vessel funding dropped from $851.7M in the

Russian Coast Guard Involved in Dispute with Japanese.

Published on 2011-02-17 14:45:15

Another island territorial dispute, and as usual, a coast guard is in the middle of it. The Russian Coast Guard denied Japanese media reports on Wednesday that it had opened fire on a Japanese fishing vessel off the disputed South Kuril islands. (The

How much do the National Security Cutters Cost?

Published on 2011-02-17 10:10:30

Earlier I asked this question regarding NSC #5 (WMSL 754 James), because what I had seen recently seemed out of line with the prices I had seen reported for #4 (WMSL 753 Hamilton). Someone from Headquarters was good enough to point me to a helpful 3,

Good morning! You’re getting a pay-raise in FY12… maybe…

Published on 2011-02-17 05:15:52

In my haste to get the Coast Guard specific information out with regard to the newly released FY12 budget proposal I failed to mention that there is the “potential” of a pay increase for the military. Under the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE chapt

D9 follows Coast Guard’s new Social Media policy; I’m not impressed

Published on 2011-02-16 17:10:53

The Coast Guard recently updated its Public Affairs policy of which I noted yesterday, again. In the post I reviled that there really wasn’t all that much change to the way unofficial bloggers do their business; however, there were big changes ahea

Social Security Numbers are coming off your ID card…

Published on 2011-02-16 14:19:53

A few months ago I wrote about some changes that were coming to the standard use of your Social Security Number by the DoD and associated partners; actually it was a call to awareness that our use of the EMPLID may change with the impending changes i

LEDET, This Could be Your Ride

Published on 2011-02-16 12:55:52

Another interesting ship coming from Austal, the makers of the trimaran Littoral Combat Ship, Independence (sometimes referred to as the Klingon Battlecruiser). This is the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV). The Army and Navy are planning to buy at leas

How Much Does National Security Cutter #5 Cost?

Published on 2011-02-16 11:36:14

It’s always hard to figure out how much a ship costs, and compare prices, but I was a bit alarmed when I saw this report from the Navy Times concerning the FY2012 budget, “$615 million of the $1.4 billion set aside in the request for acqu

New Type Narco Sub–a “Snot Boat?”

Published on 2011-02-16 10:11:51

Columbia claims to have found their first fully submersible narco submarine. Looking at the pictures and the specs given, its apparent that this is a different sort of craft. The claimed maximum dive depth is only three meters (10′) and there i

An “obvious woeful condition”

Published on 2011-02-16 06:50:01

Hypothetical question: Suppose that your phone rings and the Admiral in charge of the Philippine Navy is on the phone. He asks you one question. “Should my country buy a High Endurance Cutter from the U.S. Coast Guard?” How do you respond? My hon

Coast Guard releases an updated Social Media policy; what changes are ahead? (update)

Published on 2011-02-15 15:00:39

Update: Here’s the ALCOAST (050/11) on Change 1 to the PA manual. This post originally posted on 31 Jan 2011. Over the weekend- well, Friday actually- the Coast Guard Public Affairs Office released a chapter update to the Coast Guard’s Pu

Didn’t get paid by the Coast Guard last night? Here’s why…

Published on 2011-02-15 11:07:30

Straight from the U.S. Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center blog: The Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service (FMS) Kansas City Provides Payment, Collections and Financial Reporting services to the U. S. Coast Guard. FMS has recen

A Mission Need: Coast Guard Cyber Command

Published on 2011-02-15 07:01:27

Guest Post By LT Lars McCarter (USCG) My name is LT Lars McCarter and I’m the C4ISR Advisor for Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBERCOM). Thank you to the CGBlog.org staff for letting me write a little about CGCYBERCOM. I’ll start out with a qu

CGC Morro Bay: “Mama, I’m coming home ….”

Published on 2011-02-15 07:00:00

Continuing the CGC Morro Bay series, this is entry number twenty-eight. To see all of the Morro Bay’s posts go here. Also remember to check out PAD NY’s Facebook page and the Facebook page for the USCGC Morro Bay for similar content. Morr

Coast Guard’s FY12 Budget request is out… so far so good

Published on 2011-02-14 13:41:34

Considering the fiscal climate to the U.S. at this current time I can say I’m somewhat pleased with what I’ve seen in this years request; however, it’s far from the significant increases we saw the years following 2001. As part of the Depar

If you could ask ADM Papp one question what would it be?

Published on 2011-02-14 06:54:23

No- this isn’t a trick question. Many know that ADM Papp reads this blog, as well as a few others out there, thus don’t you think it may be worth your time to ask a question? Granted it may not be answered but hey… I came about the thought

“Operating in the Arctic, Resourcing For The 21st Century,” An Interview with RAdm Jeff Garrett, USCG (ret)

Published on 2011-02-13 12:38:30

I’d like to point out an excellent interview that forcefully makes many of the points the Coast Guard needs to be pushing to have an effective polar capability. It needs wider dissemination. RAdm. Garrett is apparently an excellent spokesman fo

CGBlog is on Facebook and Twitter… let’s be social

Published on 2011-02-12 21:04:56

We, as Coasties, Shipmates, friends, and social media nuts are all interconnected by the friends we keep, the jobs we do, and those that we follow on Facebook and Twitter. Which brings me to a good point: did you know CGBlog has it’s own Facebook a

CGC Morro Bay: “It was -4 degrees outside this morning.”

Published on 2011-02-12 10:50:17

Continuing the CGC Morro Bay series, this is entry number twenty-seven. To see all of the Morro Bay’s posts go here. Also remember to check out PAD NY’s Facebook page and the Facebook page for the USCGC Morro Bay for similar content. Morr

Changing Naval Balance

Published on 2011-02-11 18:36:10

For background: Numbers of course, are not the whole story. The US fleet is, by tonnage, far in excess of any competitor. The relatively strong allied fleets of Japan and South Korea are not included. The US still far outspends most of the rest of th

National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Achievement Medal Awarded to Lt. Aaron Renschler

Published on 2011-02-11 16:30:07

NDIA SOLIC AWARD “WASHINGTON — Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, congratulates Lt. Aaron Renschler after he received the National Defense Industrial Association Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Achievement

Longer tours, less with less, and two Ensigns; my thoughts on the 2011 State of the Coast Guard Address

Published on 2011-02-11 06:10:04

Admiral Papp’s first State of the Coast Guard has come and gone but not without some good points of discussion. Like Chuck said in his post previous to this, I’m not going to regurgitate the entire address. However, I too believe there

The State of the Coast Guard–Summary and Impressions

Published on 2011-02-10 18:16:00

I’m not going to regurgitate the Commandant’s speech or try to explain it all, but I thought I would give a few impressions. I’m sure there will be some truly important things I will miss, sorry. The speech transcript is available h

State of the Coast Guard Address

Published on 2011-02-10 13:33:32

We’ve heard rumblings some commands were unable to access the live video stream of Admiral Papp’s State of the Coast Guard Address. For those who were unable to watch or follow CGBlog’s live Twitter coverage, please find here the

T-30 until the State of the Coast Guard Address

Published on 2011-02-10 11:16:43

Just a reminder that the State of the Coast Guard starts at 1245hrs Eastern. Get the info here and follow our Twitter updates.

Two sides to a story; MEDEVAC denied… the follow up

Published on 2011-02-10 09:01:21

Yesterday morning I posted a quick piece on claims that the Coast Guard denied a vessel medical assistance by way of a MEDEVAC; furthermore I noted that there’s always two sides to the story and sure enough there’s two to this one. In a f

“The Coast Guard needs new icebreakers…” DHS Inspector General

Published on 2011-02-09 15:00:15

“The Coast Guard does not have the necessary budgetary control over its icebreakers, nor does it have a sufficient number of icebreakers to accomplish its missions in the Polar Regions.” ~ Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspect

Are Coast Guard inspectors wasting their time?

Published on 2011-02-09 07:00:22

As I mentioned at the end of a previous post, there is a substantial body of academic literature that examines the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement. The article (PDF link) I am discussing in this post finds that violations resulting from tank

How, where, and when to watch the State of the Coast Guard Address this Thursday

Published on 2011-02-09 06:13:39

Well folks it’s that time of year again- no, this isn’t the time to make fun of the loosing Super Bowl team (I was pulling for the Steelers). No, instead it’s time to hear how the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard feels about

There’s always at least two sides to a story; MEDEVAC denied?

Published on 2011-02-09 06:00:10

As I prep for work this morning I’m unable to find any other information on this particular case. Knowing that every story has at least two sides to it I’m waiting for the other one as I find this one to be a little less than the whole st

CGC Morro Bay: “It was an insane sight.”

Published on 2011-02-08 20:00:43

Continuing the CGC Morro Bay series, this is entry number twenty-six. To see all of the Morro Bay’s posts go here. Also remember to check out PAD NY’s Facebook page and the Facebook page for the USCGC Morro Bay for similar content. Morro

A Tale of Two Harbor Defense Organizations–Part Three

Published on 2011-02-08 19:13:41

This is the third in a series comparing two incidents from World War II, in which ships tried to force entry into a hostile harbor, in an effort to draw some lessons from them. Part one looked at the bloody, but ultimately successful British assault

Contracts for New Response Boat (Small)

Published on 2011-02-08 14:35:50

Legacy 25’ Defender Class RB-S. USCG photo by PA2 Andy Kendrick The Acquisition Directorate has announced, “On February 4, 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded two fixed price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to begin re

NFL Reads Declaration of Independence, USCGC Tern Featured

Published on 2011-02-08 10:42:06

Fox Sports did a reading of the Declaration of Independence before the Superbowl, and the crew of the Cutter Tern was featured. You might want to check it out. Thanks to Rachel Polish for bring this to my attention (p.s., we miss you here).

CGC Morro Bay: Saving Lives

Published on 2011-02-08 07:10:59

Continuing the CGC Morro Bay series, this is entry number twenty-five. To see all of the Morro Bay’s posts go here. Also remember to check out PAD NY’s Facebook page and the Facebook page for the USCGC Morro Bay for similar content. Morro

Indian Navy/CG Take Down Another Pirate Ship

Published on 2011-02-07 17:12:48

More evidence the Indian Coast Guard and Navy is aggressively taking on pirates in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The cadet training ship INS Tir and the cutter CGS Samar have retaken a Thai fishing vessel, the Prantalay-11, being used as a mother-ship by

More Information on Narco Sub

Published on 2011-02-07 11:38:05

There is a bit more public information on the narco sub found in Ecuador. Special to the Chronicle “Experts have studied the narco submarine, which sits in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Painted a camouflage pattern of blue, black and gray, it is believed

Survivor of downed CG-6017 is fundraising for a memorial; YOU can help

Published on 2011-02-07 05:56:34

On 7 July 2010, the Coast Guard lost three of four aircrew when the Air Station Sitka-based CG-6017 went down off the coast of Washington State. In that incident we lost LT Sean Kruger, AMT1 Adam Hoke, and AMT2 Brett Banks. There are no words tha

Shipbuilding–My Grand Plan–Navy and CG Work Together

Published on 2011-02-06 17:37:35

One of the criticisms of the Navy and Coast Guard’s ship building programs has been that they were not coordinated; that they should have been able to come up with a common hull. I think there may still be an excellent opportunity to do that an

State of the Coast Guard is Thursday… what’s ADM Papp to say?

Published on 2011-02-06 09:00:33

This next Thursday is the Commandant’s annual “State of the Coast Guard” address and although we don’t have all the details yet, you’ll surely be able to watch it online where available. In the meantime, I thought I

A Tale of Two Harbor Defense Organizations–Part Two

Published on 2011-02-06 01:18:17

This is the second in a series comparing two incidents from World War II in which ships tried to force entry into a hostile harbor. Part one looked at the bloody, but ultimately successful British assault on the fortified port of St Nazaire. This par

Shooter of Coast Guard Recruiting Station still at large

Published on 2011-02-04 16:11:52

The 2 November 2010 shooting of a Coast Guard recruiting station in Woodbridge, VA, the one linked to four other such shootings at military facilities, has yet to be solved. In a recent piece from USA Today we find out that not only has the shooting

The Coast Guard Image: The real reason Ice Breakers are so effective…

Published on 2011-02-04 05:14:04

Found via the Morro Bay’s Facebook page this photo gives us a glimpse as to how our icebreakers are so effective in the Great Lakes. However, this thought begs the question as why the red-hulls for polar operations aren’t being used? Do t

A Tale of Two Harbor Defense Organizations–Part One

Published on 2011-02-03 16:48:40

This is the start of a three part series, the story of two harbor defense organizations, how one, already at war, well trained and well armed, failed to stop a small force, while another, ostensibly at peace, facing a vastly stronger force, and in ma

The future of the Coast Guard UAV program is looking grim

Published on 2011-02-03 08:01:05

Do you recall when the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program for the Coast Guard was all the rage? No? Well, to be honest nether do I; however, I do pay attention to any info that’s available on the program for the simple fact of caring about t

Coast Guard Academy “flash mob” sings God Bless America in airport

Published on 2011-02-02 22:38:16

A little something to get your morning off to a patriotic start… h/t to V. Pica

Bringing back the Airship

Published on 2011-02-02 22:00:28

What is as long as a football field, seven stories high, and weighs next to nothing? Can hangout for 21 days? Go from contract to field test in 18 months? From the press release: “Northrop Grumman’s Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehic

Piracy Update, 2/2/11

Published on 2011-02-02 17:59:18

Three Indian vessels, two Navy and one Coast Guard sank a pirate mothership, killing some of the pirates, taking 15 prisoner, and freeing 20 hostages after a 12 hour “battle” here and here. The Indian Navy vessels were Car Nicobar class f

A reminder as to why many join the Coast Guard

Published on 2011-02-02 12:13:00

It’s things like this that remind me of the exact reason I joined the Coast Guard… This is from the CGC Morro Bay’s Facebook page.

Indian Navy Frigate INS Vindhyagiri Sinks After Collision

Published on 2011-02-01 13:14:39

An Indian Navy frigate, the Vindhyagiri, slightly smaller than a 378, (and slightly newer) was involved in a collision off Mumbai, caught fire, and after being brought into port, capsized and sank. There were no causalities. Video of the ship on fire

CGC Morro Bay: “Boatswain Mate problem solving… hit it repeatedly”

Published on 2011-02-01 09:23:01

Continuing the CGC Morro Bay series, this is entry number twenty-three. To see all of the Morro Bay’s posts go here. Also remember to check out PAD NY’s Facebook page and the Facebook page for the USCGC Morro Bay for similar content. Morr

Coast Guard releases an updated Social Media policy; what changes are ahead?

Published on 2011-01-31 20:17:39

Over the weekend- well, Friday actually- the Coast Guard Public Affairs Office released a chapter update to the Coast Guard’s Public Affairs Manual; COMDTINST 5728.2(series) (PDF warning). The update is dated 27 January 2011 so it’s prett

Bring Back the Coast Guard ASW Mission

Published on 2011-01-31 18:08:46

With the end of the Soviet Union, it looked like there was no longer a significant threat from submarines. The Coast Guard, whose ASW assets were already largely obsolete, took the opportunity to simplify its training and maintenance requirements by

The MKShop is now closed… did the BM’s win?

Published on 2011-01-31 05:57:02

For the past three years Sean Lawler has been running a site dedicated to those who keep our Cutters running from below the waterline- The MKShop. Well three years and 300+ post later Sean, as of yesterday, has shut the site down. However, it’s

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Training Plan Outlined

Published on 2011-01-28 21:53:29

DoD has released their outline (via NavyTimes) of their new training plan regarding post-DADT in the military–and on schedule even! And although the entire plan isn’t laid out before you, you can get a good idea as to what to expect. The

Manning Ships, Navy Acknowledges Mistake, Will the Coast Guard?

Published on 2011-01-28 19:03:04

The Navy has admitted they made a mistake by attempting to minimize the manning of their ships using a concept called “Optimal Manning.” As unfortunate as the mistake may have been–and it has resulted in a lot of pain and may have w

Moving the Coast Guard to DoD now has freshman political backing

Published on 2011-01-28 16:02:50

There has long been a discussion [battle of word, perhaps] that the best place for the Coast Guard may be inside the Department of Defense. And if you happen to be one of those who are interested in seeing just that, I have good news for you–yo

CGC Morro Bay: “How many types of ice are there?”

Published on 2011-01-28 10:00:39

As I’ve been jumping around from site to site over the last few weeks trying to find a good home to write about the Coast Guard I’ve also been keeping you up to date on the CGC Morro Bay while on their adventures of breaking ice in the Gr

Our History 1915: Happy, ‘er, other Birthday Coast Guard…

Published on 2011-01-28 07:37:17

Today is, by all accounts, the “Coast Guard’s” Birthday by virtue of its name. Of course we’re all aware that the U.S. Coast Guard celebrates its official date of founding as 4 August 1790; the date of founding for the Revenue

Ruggiero cleared; ex-wife serving time for framing him

Published on 2011-01-28 00:46:12

Over the past several years, CGBlog and many other sites published a number of articles written about then-Petty Officer Ruggiero, whom in August 2008 was arrested on allegations of domestic violence while on duty in North Carolina. The allegations w

Data Integrity: Lessons on operational reporting from the NYPD

Published on 2011-01-27 16:26:06

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on the use of the Compstat system (more formally known as either Computer Statistics or Comparative Statistics) by the New York Police Department. Compstat came together in the 1990s–at the

Coast Guard crewmember pleads guilty in the San Diego boat collision

Published on 2011-01-27 16:00:19

The top story this morning was an update in the 2009 San Diego boat accident that resulted in the death of an 8-year old boy. You’ll recall that a 33-footer out of Station San Diego collided with a family pleasure craft, killing one and injur

Interesting Hull Form from China–Missile Boat to Patrol Boat

Published on 2011-01-27 15:26:29

The Chinese have built a large number of 140 foot long, 225 ton vessels (perhaps 100) using a relatively exotic hull form, and there is a suggestion that they may start offering export derivatives of the hull for maritime policing. You can see the ty

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; let the training begin

Published on 2011-01-27 15:23:20

Tomorrow our military leaders within the Pentagon are expected to revile plans on how they’re planning to execute the training regime for a post-DADT military. Though a completion of the repeal won’t be completed until after this next sum

Taiwan Coast Guard Adds Two New Ships

Published on 2011-01-27 11:34:47

The Taiwan Coast Guard, has just accepted two new major ships, the “Tainan” a 2,462 tons “frigate” and “Patrol Boat No. 7,” 1,845 tons. Both appear similar in configuration and capability to Japanese and Chinese Cu

Surface Navy Association National Symposium–CG Update

Published on 2011-01-26 13:42:20

A number of presentations made at the Surface Navy Association’s National Symposium are available on line. One of these is the Commandant’s own presentation. It is about 45 minutes long. I haven’t watched all the presentations yet,

Skipper of Eagle’s sister-ship canned

Published on 2011-01-25 17:20:35

Tom Ricks (@ The Best Defense) has long made a point of highlighting the relief of Commanding Officers. My impression of this has always been that he is making a respectful point about the serious business of military service and the responsibilities

The Philippine Coast Guard

Published on 2011-01-25 15:25:01

Looking a little further into the proposal for the Philippine Navy to take over one or more of our 378s, I got curious about the Philippine Coast Guard. In some ways they are in much better shape than the Philippine Navy, on average their vessels are

Philippines to Acquire Decom 378(s)?

Published on 2011-01-24 09:46:26

A report the Philippines would like to acquire one of the Hamilton Class; that they are in talks now; and that the ship “might arrive in the country within the first semester of this year.” Sounds like the Philippine Navy is one of the fe

Where is the CG “Blotter”?

Published on 2011-01-23 22:05:20

Greetings everyone! Thanks so much to Dan Trimble for giving me the space to hopefully spark discussion about Coast Guard-related topics. For those that haven’t clicked the “About” link and read my bio, it will be readily apparent where my inte

“Let Pobedy: A Tour of the World’s Most Powerful Nuclear Icebreaker”

Published on 2011-01-22 22:44:55

Not really a “tour,” but gCaptain offers a good view of this monster in operation as it seemingly effortlessly makes its way to the North Pole. 25,000 tons, 521 ft long, 55 MegaWatts (75,000 HP) from two reactors, hangers for two helicopt

S. Koreans Retake Pirate Mothership, Free Hostages, Kill 8, Capture 5

Published on 2011-01-22 12:42:54

Some refreshing news on the piracy front. In what must be seen as a unique operation, S. Korean forces stormed a ship, the Samho Jewelry, that had been in the control of pirates for six days, and in a five hour firefight, which included supporting fi

First time ever–helicopter to the rescue

Published on 2011-01-20 15:45:08

On January 18th the Navy celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Naval Aviation. On the Commander, Naval Air Forces, official web site, among all the pictures of sleek and powerful jets, there is a photo of a crude machine that is neverthele

Real Narco Subs?

Published on 2011-01-18 15:23:57

Of course we know there have been attempts to use true submersibles to transport cocaine, but this is the first I’ve heard of an effort to find them at sea. From http://defensetech.org/: “Calling them “third-generation” Narco-subs, Ad

Fast Response Cutter Alternative? FRC-A?

Published on 2011-01-18 12:25:40

The following are excepts from a news release found here: http://www.msstampabay.com/ 14 January 2011: “The Department of the Navy announced Friday the award of a $29 million shipbuilding and support contract to Maritime Security Strategies, LL

Long Lead Items for NSC #5, WMSL 754 James, Contracted

Published on 2011-01-18 11:24:48

Northrop Grumman tells us that they have received an $89M contract for long lead items for the fifth National Security Cutter (NSC), WMSL 754 James. They also say work should start on #4, Hamilton, the middle of this year. Let’s see. #3, Stratt

UAVs–Other services have them, When will the Coast Guard?

Published on 2011-01-17 16:19:50

A couple of recent posts reminded me clearly that UAVs are a mature technology. An Army UAV program, the MQ-5B, which entered service in 1996, has reached the 100,000 hour milestone, with more than 72,000 of that being in combat. (Northrop Grumman Co

The Coast Guard Photo Contest 2010 has started!

Published on 2011-01-17 14:20:21

Originally posted on ryanerickson.com. The Coast Guard’s 2010 People’s Choice photo contest is currently underway and the first five of the overall 40 are quite impressive (much like last year). If this is the caliber of photos we can exp

Another Deadly fisheries Dispute–India v. Sri Lanka

Published on 2011-01-16 14:18:12

We have a report of another fatal encounter between fishermen and fisheries enforcement personnel. In this case, it is Indian Fishermen and the Sri Lankan Navy, with shots fired at three fishermen and one killed. There are calls for the Indian govern

Arctic Patrol Cutter?

Published on 2011-01-14 17:10:53

While looking into Fincantieri’s US operation (Italian OPC Design), I ran across reference to an Ice Capable ship being built for the National Science Foundation. The ship is the Sikuliaq, pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk]. It “will be a 260-f

Acquisitions Directorate Newsletter–Helo & Boat Programs

Published on 2011-01-14 15:43:15

The Acquisition Directorate has published their Dec. 2010/Jan. 2011 newsletter and it’s worth a read. It discusses both the HH-60J to MH-60T conversions and the program to procure new 7 meter Over-the-Horizon (OTH) and 11 meter Long-Range-Inter

New Small Missile System for the LCS–Coast Guard Applications?

Published on 2011-01-13 17:49:50

It’s not official yet, but it looks like the Navy has found a missile system for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The Navy had been planning to use a system that was being developed by the Army called Netfires, also referred to as the NLOS-LS (n

Italian OPC Design

Published on 2011-01-13 15:54:29

Defense news is reporting the launch of the second of four ships being built for the Turkish Coast Guard at a total cost of $480M (same as the cost of one NSC). These ships are similar to the projected Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and are based on a

Another Fisheries Dispute, This Time–Japan v. South Korea

Published on 2011-01-13 14:02:43

There is another fisheries dispute based on contested sovereignty. This time it is between South Korea and Japan. The dispute is over the Liancourt Rocks, called Dokdo by the Koreans and Takeshima by the Japanese. Sounds like the Japanese may be push

Jamaica/Honduras Fishing Dispute Turns Deadly

Published on 2011-01-12 15:03:46

Jamaican Coast Guard reportedly fired into a Honduran fishing vessel with the intention of disabling it, killing the captain. Needless to say the Hondurans are upset. A report by ABCNews is here. What I found strange in the report was that the Hond

Pirates? Don’t Shoot’em, Zap’em with Lasers

Published on 2011-01-11 20:21:20

What can I say, it’s a company news release, but it is interesting. It’s quoted below in its entirety: ———————————————————&#

CG Video of the Year, 2010

Published on 2011-01-11 11:45:57

The Coast Guard Compass announced their 2010 Video of the Year based on viewers “likes” on YouTube. “Receiving 162 votes, Coast Guard Port Security Unit 307 wins first place for their video featuring the PSU members and the Haitian

CGIS Returns to NCIS

Published on 2011-01-10 22:41:38

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is returning to the “NCIS” television program, Tuesday night, Jan. 11th. The Coast Guard Compass has the story.

Band of Brothers, Major Richard C. Winters, dead at 92

Published on 2011-01-10 18:00:39

A fine tribute here.

Naming Ships–The Slippery Slope

Published on 2011-01-10 12:58:50

This article, which talks about the controversial decision to name LPD-26 for the late Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha, highlights a pet peeve of mine, the breakdown of the Navy’s naming conventions for ships, apparently for political purp

Arctic SAR Treaty in the Works

Published on 2011-01-09 23:54:57

This report in the Canadian press suggests that a SAR treaty, negotiated by the Arctic Council members in December, could be signed when the foreign ministers next meet, beginning May 12th, in Nuuk, Greenland. It also gives a glimpse into the challen

France & Australia Cooperate on Fisheries Enforcement in the South Pacific

Published on 2011-01-09 19:06:10

“Australia and France will step up patrols for illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean under a new agreement signed by the two countries…French patrols will also include Australian fisheries officers, and Australian vessels will carry Frenc

Working with Army Air for Coast and Harbor Defense

Published on 2011-01-08 15:29:11

Here is an interesting explanation of how a command in Korea used a little out of the box thinking to address an unconventional threat. In a bit different circumstances, the NCC (Naval Component Commander) might be Coast Guard, and a similar command

Costa Rica, “Coast Guard Si, Navy No”

Published on 2011-01-07 15:27:20

Costa Rican Law makers have denied permission for US Navy ships to dock and resupply in Costa Rican ports while granting that privilege to Coast Guard ships. This is another reason the Coast Guard needs its own ships. Its not enough to simply provide

Comparing Apples and Oranges–Ships and Cars

Published on 2011-01-07 13:19:51

Ran across a statement in gCaptain that the 378s had cost $15M each (haven’t been able to find it again). I went looking for confirmation and found another source that listed the cost as $16-20M. In any case, comparing that range, with the rang

Sail Training Ship for Pakistan

Published on 2011-01-06 15:27:14

Looks like the US Coast Guard is not the only service that still sees value in sail training. The Pakistanis have recently acquired a new sail training vessel. A bit smaller than the Eagle, but still a good sized ship, it measures 59.35 meters (196 f

How We Got in This Mess-A Short History of CG Shipbuilding

Published on 2011-01-05 15:40:56

Over the last 60 years the Coast Guard has typically fielded about 45 large patrol cutters, 1000 tons or greater (Is the Fleet Shrinking?) with as many as 36 WMECs. Theoretically we could build an average of 1.5 ships a year and maintain a fleet with

Selling (and Saving) the Offshore Patrol Cutter Project

Published on 2011-01-05 11:26:56

Since seeing indications the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program may be in jeopardy (here and here), I’ve been thinking about how the program might be “sold.” There are a number of approaches that might be considered. It Is a Money

Commandant on the Stump

Published on 2011-01-04 17:12:22

Looks like the Commandant is going on stump to tell people how bad its has gotten, Commandant: Coast Guard Suffering Under Strain of Tight Budgets. While previous Commandants have gotten kudos for “doing more with less,” soon Admiral Papp

A Hard Topic–But Important

Published on 2011-01-04 10:47:54

Rape is an ugly crime. It diminishes us all. Units where it happens are unlikely to have had much previous experience dealing with it. This post, “Reporting a Sexual Assault in the United States Coast Guard,” came up on the Coast Guard

Countering Piracy, Time for a New Norm?

Published on 2011-01-02 22:27:50

2010 was another record year for piracy in the Indian Ocean. Despite massive naval effort, there were more seizures, more ransom money, and more hostages. Here is a chart of the incidents reported in 2010. There has been some additional innovation on

Report Dallas Dry Docking Went Badly

Published on 2011-01-02 11:22:53

Tim Colton’s Maritime Memos is reporting there was a significant problem in the dry docking of the Dallas. December 2, 2010: “International Ship Repair and Marine Services, LLC, had an accident on Monday night, when it’s Dock#6 appa

Russian SAR in Trouble?

Published on 2011-01-01 14:35:52

The US Coast Guard apparently isn’t the only SAR organization whose ships have been run down. Sounds like the Russians may be considering a reorganization. Text: RIA Novosti Seventy per cent of Russian Navy’s search-and-rescue vessels are

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