Coast Guard to Get New Ships, Planes

Newsday ^ | June 24, 2002 | JONATHAN D. SALANT -- Associated Press Writer

[Willie Green]

WASHINGTON -- The Coast Guard, rearming for the war on terrorism, will replace its deep-water ships and its air fleet with modern equipment capable of detecting chemical weapons and quickly checking the identities of crew members and cargo shipments, a spokesman said Monday.

The new ships will replace vessels that date from World War II and the new planes and helicopters will replace 30-year old models, said the spokesman, Cmdr. Jim McPherson. They will be phased in over 20 years and represent the largest infusion of new equipment at one time since Alexander Hamilton began the Coast Guard in 1790, McPherson said.

[Willie Green]

Without further information, I support this in general principle.
However, I also wonder why it's being spread out over 20 years if we actually need it.

[capt. norm]

They have needed this for over 20 years already. They are operating with old inefficient and slow vessels for far too long. They have had to steadily cut back in services to where they dare not cut any more.

You may not devote much of your thought to the Coast Guard until you get offshore and, for whatever reason, things start to go wrong. Then you will love them.

[Ramius]

Ex-Coastie it's-about-darned-time bump.

[Willie Green]

Ex-Coastie it's-about-darned-time bump.

I can understand how, over the years, the Coast Guard may have been shortchanged on necessary appropriations.

IMHO, if it's needed, we should be pursuing a 3-5 year schedule, not 20.
Naturally, there are probably ships/planes that still have 10, 15, 20 or more years of useful life left, and should be replaced as necessary 10, 15 or 20 years from now. But that would be more routine rather than part of some ballhooed "homeland security" long range plan.
Anything needed for "homeland security" should be procured and upgraded ASAP.

[montomike]

I not only think they should get new cutters, they should get some modern diesel powered submarines. Imagine the stealthy surveillance that the Coasties could do with these.

Additionally, the requirement for coasties to be over 6 ft tall so they could walk to shore could be waived if they were able to get stilts as part of their mandatory kit.

Regards,
Ex-boomer nuke

[maximus@Nashville]

I understand that the US Navy operated a couple of hydro-foil ships in the Carribean up until a couple of years ago. They were used to intercept drug shipments because of their speed. Does anyone know if those ships were transfered to the Coast Guard?

[Poohbah]

It's being spread out over 20 years to avoid the block obsolescence problem, where you have to replace a large number of systems in a very short period of time.

[Willie Green]

It's being spread out over 20 years to avoid the block obsolescence problem, where you have to replace a large number of systems in a very short period of time.

Yeah, but it seems excessive to include routine replacement/upgrade in with what is necessary for the "war on terrorism". When it comes down to it, who knows what is actually going to be needed 10, 15 or 20 years from now? And who knows what actions other Congresses and Administrations are going to take in the intervening years?

I guess I'd just prefer to see a much more solid proposal or goal that's reasonably attainable within the next 2, 3 or 5 years. Something like: "we're going to replace 20-25% of the Coast Guard fleet with the latest technology available over the next 5 years" (or whatever the proposal is. This 20 year upgrade plan --- heck, somebody's gonna change that several years down the road anyway.

[PoppingSmoke]

ABOUT TIME! IT ONLY TOOK AN ATTACK!

[Poohbah]

Yeah, but it seems excessive to include routine replacement/upgrade in with what is necessary for the "war on terrorism".

If you knew anything about how poorly funded the Coast Guard was, you'd understand why they did it.

When it comes down to it, who knows what is actually going to be needed 10, 15 or 20 years from now?

That's the idea behind Deepwater--it's not so much a procurement of Systems X, Y, and Z so much as it's a plan to acquire certain capabilities, and how those capabilities would be bought depends very much on the technology available at the time of purchase. The article manages to describe it as a systems acquisition plan (which it ain't).

And who knows what actions other Congresses and Administrations are going to take in the intervening years?

Yet another argument against the do-it-right-now approach.

I guess I'd just prefer to see a much more solid proposal or goal that's reasonably attainable within the next 2, 3 or 5 years. Something like: "we're going to replace 20-25% of the Coast Guard fleet with the latest technology available over the next 5 years" (or whatever the proposal is.

Interoperability becomes a real problem with your idea. You'd essentially make TWO Coast Guards, and hope that the government doesn't stop in midstream.

[Willie Green]

Interoperability becomes a real problem with your idea. You'd essentially make TWO Coast Guards, and hope that the government doesn't stop in midstream.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no....
Who said anything about TWO Coast Guards?... Bah!

I can certainly understand how they need to evaluate the current condition of the entire fleet, and project future requirements, even 20, 25 years out based on the expected useful life of what already exists. And they can even take an "educated guess" at timing of possible technology upgrades, even though the technology may not exist right now.

All I'm looking for is something of substance. This anouncement sounds good, but it's also pretty fuzzy as far as details. Where's the beef? Are they merely accelerating the retirement schedule of the existing fleet, declaring that ships with 25 more years expected life will NOW be replaced in only 15 or 20 years? Hey, that's fine. I have no problems with that.

It's just that I'd prefer to see what's gonna happen RIGHT NOW. Perhaps something like:

"10% of the Coast Guard's planes and ships are antiquated and obsolete and will be replaced immediately."

[Poohbah]

You're getting hung up on systems acquisition again.

The Coast Guard wants capabilities, which may be provided by a mixture of various systems, and that mixture may gradually change over the next 20 years.

[Willie Green]

Well hellsbells, Poohbah. The Coast Guard isn't gonna get any "capabilities" unless it makes some "systems acquisitions".

All I'm asking for is a little more detail on what they want and when they want it.
And I'm encouraging them to get it sooner rather than later.

[CJinVA]

Lockheed, Northrop to Revamp Coast Guard
By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard has picked a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC) to overhaul its aging ships, aircraft and communications gear in a deal that could be worth $17 billion over 30 years, people close to the matter said on Tuesday.

The project is designed to turn the self-described 37th oldest of 39 similar fleets worldwide into the world's most highly integrated, in line with the Coast Guard's growing role since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The revamp had been under review for years before President Bush announced plans this month to shift the Coast Guard from the Transportation Department to a new Department of Homeland Security.

It reflects mushrooming counter terrorism responsibilities as well as a growing sense that the old jumble of Coast Guard assets was ill-suited to police the more than 95,000 miles of coastline in a country where 95 percent of international trade enters by ship.

Working with some cutters built as far back as the 1940s, the Coast Guard has been struggling to secure the nation's ports, enforce safety zones around Navy ships and board commercial ships in search of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

"The need to defend our country against terrorism and rogue nations' hostilities has put a very large demand on the Coast Guard's limited resources," the head of Coast Guard procurement and finances, Robert Horowitz, said in a statement published Monday in the Federal Register.

The deal, the Coast Guard's biggest in its 200-year history, calls for the purchase of up to 91 ships, 35 fixed-wing aircraft, 34 helicopters, and 76 pilot-less surveillance aircraft, said the sources close to the situation, who asked not to be named.

In addition, it involves upgrading 49 cutters, 93 helicopters and communications systems that help the Coast Guard do everything from stopping illegal immigrants to catching drug runners, protecting the environment and performing search and rescue operations.

Valued at $11 billion in its first 20 years if all options are exercised, the "Deepwater" contract will be awarded at an anti-climatic ceremony later Tuesday to Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a 50-50 partnership between Lockheed and Northrop, the sources said. They said the potential value over 30 years was estimated at about $17 billion.

[Willie Green]

In addition, it involves upgrading 49 cutters, 93 helicopters and communications systems that help the Coast Guard do everything from stopping illegal immigrants to catching drug runners, protecting the environment and performing search and rescue operations.

I was wondering when some of these other functions were going to be mentioned.

Thanks for the update!!!

[CJinVA]

This is only half of it. there's another contract out there that hasn't been awarded yet. It's called NDRSMP. It's worth around $15 billion over 20 years. Deepwater is everything 50 miles out (kind of), NDRSMP is the coastline. You would not believe what the Coast Guard is going to do to protect our shores. It's gonna be like a cop on every corner.

[CJinVA]

This is only half of it. there's another contract out there that hasn't been awarded yet. It's called NDRSMP. It's worth around $15 billion over 20 years. Deepwater is everything 50 miles out (kind of), NDRSMP is the coastline. You would not believe what the Coast Guard is going to do to protect our shores. It's gonna be like a cop on every corner.

[Willie Green]

It's gonna be like a cop on every corner.

Good. Our borders and coastlines need something like that.
Corner/neighborhood cops are usually pretty good.
Abuse happens on occasion, and generates more than its fair share of negative publicity, but it is actually rare compared to the vast majority who serve with honor and integrity.