PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of the USCGC Forward (WMEC 911) returned to their home port in Portsmouth, Saturday, following a multi-week training exercise and counterdrug deployment in the central Caribbean Sea.
While underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility and in support of Joint Interagency Task Force–South, Forward traveled more than 6,000 miles conducting counterdrug operations as part of a multi-faceted approach to combatting illicit narcotics trafficking across maritime borders.
Part of this effort included international partnerships with the HNLMS Holland (P840) of the Royal Netherlands Navy and other U.S. military vessels, including USCGC Campbell (WMEC 909), USCGC Margaret Norvell (WPC 1105), and USS Little Rock (CL 92).
Throughout the patrol, Forward held approximately 4,700 pounds of cocaine on deck worth an estimated $81 million. Forward intercepted three suspected narcotics smugglers earlier this month and held nine others throughout the patrol. On Tuesday, the crew conducted a further offload to partner agencies in Port Everglades, Florida.
“The crew lived up to our namesake ‘Ever the Sentinel’ and was ready to take on any mission,” said Cmdr. Staci Rutsch, Forward’s commanding officer. “Forward’s crew demonstrated the Coast Guard’s resiliency and adaptability by maintaining proficiency in interagency and international operations while upholding the ability to meet the nation’s maritime demands. I am truly impressed and thankful for their devotion to duty.”
Forward is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter’s list of mission sets include law enforcement, search and rescue, protection of living marine resources, homeland security and defense operations, international training and humanitarian operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit www.GoCoastGuard.com to learn more about active duty and reserve officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found at www.uscga.edu. For more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
USCGC Stone returns home following 105-day multi-mission patrol
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The crew of the USCGC Stone (WMSL 758) returned to their home port in North Charleston, Sunday, following a 105-day patrol in the South Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Florida Straits.
Stone deployed in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District area of operations in support of U.S. Southern Command for Operation Southern Cross and Coast Guard Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast for Operation Vigilant Sentry. While underway, Stone’s crew worked to counter illicit maritime activities, strengthen regional maritime sovereignty and facilitate the safety of life at sea.
During Operation Southern Cross, Stone conducted operations to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU-F) by partnering with South American countries to provide maritime domain awareness and information sharing on potential IUU-F vessels and other illicit maritime activity.
Stone embarked officers from the Brazilian Navy and provided real-time reports to their shoreside watch floor. Stone’s crew also conducted at-sea exercises with Brazilian and Uruguayan naval forces. These operations involved law enforcement boarding demonstrations and a search and rescue exercise with a Uruguay Naval Air Force helicopter crew. An embarked unmanned aircraft system (UAS) bolstered Stone’s capabilities and captured imagery of over 300 vessels.
During Operation Vigilant Sentry, Stone hosted an offshore Commander Task Unit (CTU) and facilitated the coordination and tasking of 10 cutters while conducting migrant interdiction operations. Working under CTU tasking, Stone interdicted 69 migrants at sea and facilitated safe repatriation to their country of origin.
“This patrol has been about partnerships, whether coordinating efforts with partner countries to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing within the Atlantic Ocean or the multi-agency response within the South Florida Straits for migrant interdiction,” said Coast Guard Capt. Clinton Carlson, Stone’s commanding officer. “Everyone displayed proficiency and excellence throughout the patrol during all evolutions, training drills, or operations. I am incredibly proud of the hardworking crew and their dedication over this 105-day deployment.”
Stone’s crew completed port visits in Montevideo, Uruguay, Suape and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crew hosted multiple high-visibility events including maritime domain awareness round table discussions with senior government officials, key leader engagements and community relations events. The visits culminated in diplomatic receptions aboard Stone, including the U.S. Ambassadors to Brazil and Uruguay and senior government and military officials from the respective countries. These collaborative engagements supported U.S. initiatives to enhance regional cooperation, strengthen and fortify effective governance and preserve the ocean as a healthy, sustainable and resilient resource for future generations.
Stone is the ninth Legend-class national security cutter (NSC) in the Coast Guard fleet and currently homeports in North Charleston, South Carolina. NSCs execute homeland security and defense missions throughout the maritime environment.
Information about the U.S. Coast Guard’s efforts to combat IUU-F, including the Coast Guard’s IUU-F Strategic Outlook, the National 5-Year Strategy for Combatting IUU-F, and other resources, can be found here.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty, reserve, officer, and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.
Coast Guard Cutter Active returns home following a 76-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific
Coast Guard Cutter Active returns home following a 76-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active (WMEC 618) and crew returned to Port Angeles following a 76-day, 12,000-mile counternarcotics patrol in the equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean.
In February, the cutter and crew departed Port Angeles to operate on behalf of Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), a multi-national and multi-agency task force designed to detect and deter transnational organized criminal activity operating in international waters off the coasts of North and Central America.
The Active’s crew operated in a region comprising more than 42 million square miles of ocean, extending from the U.S. maritime boundary line between California and Mexico and reached latitudes south of Costa Rica. The crew detected and successfully interdicted three illegal narcotics shipments during their patrol.
On March 1, the Active and crew located and intercepted a target of interest go-fast vessel off the coast of central Mexico, utilizing aerial and surface tactics. The vessel’s operators were detained by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), who participated in the pursuit. The pursuit lasted more than 27 hours, resulting in Active’s crew recovering over 960 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $28 million.
In international waters off southern Costa Rica, on March 7, Active’s bridge crew detected a suspected vessel operating near the cutter. The crew quickly mobilized their resources and successfully intercepted a go-fast vessel operated by four individuals. Near the interdiction site, Active’s crew discovered more than 100 packages of illegal narcotics, worth an estimated $3.5 million.
On multiple occasions during the patrol, the Active and crew assisted the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) with operational and logistical support. This assistance allowed Waesche to continue its operations and mission objectives with minimal interruption, amplifying presence, and coverage in the region with multiple Coast Guard platforms on patrol.
In keeping with its namesake, Active’s crew demonstrated environmental stewardship, rescuing three sea turtles entangled in abandoned and adrift fishing tackle.
“I am extremely proud of how our crew performed throughout this patrol,” said Lt. Erick Jackson, Active’s operations officer. “No matter the time of day or type of mission, our teams worked together to achieve operational success.”
“Active’s crew truly seized on the opportunity presented by the NAMSI event to strengthen our skills while building interoperability with partner nations,” said Cmdr. Brian Tesson, Active’s commanding officer. “I cannot be more impressed by the performance, professionalism and resilience of the Active crew throughout the entirety of this patrol.”
Additionally, the Active and crew conducted eight days of joint operations with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms (WPC 1132) and HMCS Edmonton of the Royal Canadian Navy. The three vessels operated as a multi-national surface action group (SAG) to increase detection and interdiction capabilities. The joint operations allowed for extensive communication and coordination training for Active who functioned as the SAG commander. Highlights include Active conducting an astern refueling at sea of the Benjamin Bottoms, and a successful interdiction of a go-fast vessel operated by seven personnel over 200 miles off the coast of Mexico. Each asset in the SAG was critical to this successful multi-national effort which resulted in the seizure of an estimated $22 million worth of cocaine.
The Active is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter commissioned in 1965. The cutter routinely conducts fishery patrols, counternarcotics operations, law enforcement patrols and search and rescue activities. Active has also participated in several high-profile missions, including the clean-up efforts in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989.
Unmanned Surface Vessel Transits Strait of Hormuz with U.S. Coast Guard
Unmanned Surface Vessel Transits Strait of Hormuz with U.S. Coast Guard
19 April 2023
From U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain – An unmanned surface vessel from U.S. 5th Fleet transited the Strait of Hormuz with two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, April 19, demonstrating the continued operational integration of unmanned and artificial intelligence systems by U.S. maritime forces in the Middle East.
USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) transited one of the world’s most strategically important straits with an L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel. The three vessels sailed south from the Arabian Gulf and through the narrow Strait of Hormuz before entering the Gulf of Oman.
“I am proud to be a part of this great partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy in the Middle East. We often work side-by-side as one team with a common mission to provide security and safeguard the seas,” said Lt. Trent Moon, John Scheuerman’s commanding officer.
U.S. 5th Fleet established a unit called Task Force 59 in September 2021 to integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into regional maritime operations. Since its launch, the task force has deployed a suite of new unmanned systems from operational hubs in Jordan and Bahrain.
In December, Task Force 59 launched an Aerovel Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicle from USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) while operating in the Arabian Gulf. The launch marked Task Force 59’s first from a U.S. Coast Guard vessel at the time.
“We are on the cutting-edge of integrating advanced unmanned technology into our maritime patrols. Our crews are excited to help lead these efforts with our Navy counterparts,” said Lt. Stephen Hills, Charles Moulthrope’s commanding officer.
U.S. 5th Fleet is leading regional efforts to increase vigilance in surrounding waters that include more than 5,000 miles of coastline from the Suez Canal, around the Arabian Peninsula, through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Arabian Gulf. The integration of unmanned platforms and sensors alongside crewed ships from the United States and regional partners enhances this capability.
The two Coast Guard cutters and Arabian Fox transited the Strait of Hormuz while operating in support of the International Maritime Security Construct, an 11-nation coalition led by the United States that focuses on maritime operations near key waterways in the Middle East.
USCGC Oliver Henry returns to Guam after strengthening partnerships in Oceania during mission to combat illegal fishing in Pacific
USCGC Oliver Henry returns to Guam after strengthening partnerships in Oceania during mission to combat illegal fishing in Pacific
U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam
SANTA RITA, Guam — The crew of USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) returned to Guam on April 9, 2023, following a 30-day expeditionary patrol in support of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s Operation 365 and Operation Rematau to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Pacific.
Among the significant elements of this expeditionary patrol: • Patrolled 5,250 nautical miles over 30 days • Dedicated 23 days on scene within exclusive economic zones of the partner nations of the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, with four days in the high seas pocket between FSM and Papua New Guinea, east of Palau, and one day within the high seas off the west side of Palau • Completed nine boardings on foreign-flagged fishing vessels under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, with 12 potential violations discovered • Completed five bilateral boardings on foreign-flagged fishing vessels under the authority of the embarked Palauan shiprider in Palau’s domestic fishing zone; no violations discovered • Executed four port visits in Yap, FSM, and Koror, Palau, exercising a hub and spoke model of operations with three of four port visits to Koror, allowing for increased time spent on the mission in the region rather than on transits to and from a patrol area • Completed six shoreside engagements, including hosting 80 students from Palau schools, conducting a damage control subject matter exchange with the crew of the PSS Kedam, and visiting Satawal, FSM • Completed one underway engagement, conducting a passenger exchange and joint sail with the crew of the FSM-based FSS Tosiwo Nakayama (P901)
“The return on investment for our partners and the nation through the use of the Fast Response Cutters and the U.S. Coast Guard in this region is undeniable, and we hear that demand signal loud and clear,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. “We are continuing to adapt how we conduct these longer patrols, far from home, with a platform originally designed for U.S. mainland near-coastal operations of a week to 10 days at sea. Basing out of a partner’s port for multiple legs, rather than island hopping over a longer distance, gives us more time with fewer transit days in these harder-to-reach locations, more time spent building relationships in country, and better support and recovery for our crews.”
A major highlight of the patrol was the engagement on the FSM island of Satawal. Home to about 500 inhabitants, the community hosted its first Pwo – Master Navigator Indoctrination Ceremony since 2007. The Oliver Henry crew, by invitation, held a dialogue and observed local customs with the Piailug family and other elders. A small team of the commanding officer, an engineer, an electronics technician, and a hospital corpsman joined local chiefs to discuss regional topics and challenges in such a remote and austere location.
In 1976, Pius Mau Piailug, a master navigator from Satawal, Yap State, Micronesia, navigated the famous traditional sailing canoe Hōkūle’a on its first voyage without navigation instruments in over 600 years on the ancestral Polynesian sea route from Hawai’i to Tahiti. Subsequently, he taught Hawaiians and other Polynesians the art of navigating guided only by the signs of land, stars, birds, and patterns of waves. He passed away in 2010. The Oliver Henry team spent time with his surviving family. The gathering included master navigators from Hawaii, Saipan, and FSM. Only a handful of master navigators are alive today.
In support of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s Operation 365 and Operation Rematau, which nests under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Operation Blue Pacific, the crew patrolled through the seas off Palau, conducting bilateral shiprider boardings. They subsequently patrolled the high seas pocket south of the Federated States of Micronesia, discovering a dozen discrepancies and potential violations in the use of vessel monitoring systems, required markings, exemption permits to transship fish, and logging of catch under the requirements set forth by the Western and Central Pacific Fishing Commission.
“It’s a good feeling for the boarding team to know we’re making an impact by documenting these potential violations and educating fishing crews on the requirements,” said Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, commanding officer of Oliver Henry. “On every vessel, the crews met us with respect, positive interest, and a desire to correct deficiencies. Several captains told us this was their first boarding by the U.S. Coast Guard.”
The crews of Oliver Henry and the Tosiwo Nakayama conducted a joint patrol near Yap State in support of Operation 365, part of the FFA’s ongoing regional monitoring control and surveillance operations to counter IUU fishing in the Pacific. OP365 requires the concerted and consistent effort of all 17 Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency member nations and the four members of the Pacific Quadrilateral Defence Coordination Group countries, Australia, France, New Zealand, and the United States, to be successful.
“The crew enjoyed conducting a professional exchange, including navigation and seamanship training during a close-quarters formation steaming with our colleagues aboard the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama before they pulled into Yap,” said Hofschneider. “In Palau, we were glad to exchange best practices for damage control with our friends at the Division of Maritime Security ahead of their next underway period.”
In Palau, the Oliver Henry crew hosted over 80 students from Emmaus-Bethania High School and the Palau Community College for tours and demonstrations at the port. This visit followed presentations on the U.S. Coast Guard and IUU fishing by the U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Compact of Free Association liaison officer and maritime advisor. The following day members of the Oliver Henry engineering department worked through damage control drill administration and planning with personnel from the PSS Kedam. The Forces Micronesia team, joined by operations specialists from the Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam, subsequently conducted search and rescue training.
“U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia and our cutter crews are dedicated to serving our partners by providing valuable requested training and resources to meet their needs. The SAR training came at the request of Palau following a recent high-profile search and rescue case,” said Simmons. “Again, we appreciate the efforts of the U.S. embassies and our Australian Pacific Maritime Security Program partners to make these shared multilateral operations possible to increase regional security and prosperity.”
Operation Rematau is how U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam supports the overarching Coast Guard endeavor Operation Blue Pacific to promote security, safety, sovereignty, and economic prosperity in Oceania. Rematau means people of the deep sea, and the effort reaffirms the position shared by the Pacific Island Forum leaders that securing the future requires long-term vision and a carefully considered regional strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The operation reinforces the U.S. commitment to working together to advance Pacific regionalism based on the Blue Pacific narrative. It supports U.S. national security objectives while bolstering maritime governance and security.
The Oliver Henry is the 40th 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter named for Oliver T. Henry, Jr., an enlisted African American Coast Guard member first to break the color barrier of a then-segregated Service.
It homeports in Guam, working with U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, which comprises nearly 300 personnel to provide a significant portion of the U.S. Coast Guard’s enduring regional presence in Oceania.
For more U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam news, visit us on DVIDS or subscribe! You can also visit us on Facebook or Instagram at @USCGForcesMicronesia or Twitter @USCGFMSG.
Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returns home following counternarcotics patrol; $166M in contraband seized
Release from Coast Guard Pacific Area
***************
Coast Guard Cutter Waesche returns home following counternarcotics patrol; $166M in contraband seized
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) and crew returned to their Alameda homeport, Friday, following a 90-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The 418-foot national security cutter and crew patrolled more than 15,000 nautical miles conducting law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations in international waters off Central America and South America.
During nighttime patrol operations, Waesche personnel were notified by a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and aircrew of a suspected narcotics-smuggling vessel transiting international waters. Waesche’s personnel launched the cutter’s small boat crews and boarding teams, who interdicted the vessel after a multi-hour pursuit. The interdiction resulted in the seizure of approximately 400 pounds of cocaine and 5,000 pounds of marijuana.
Waesche later received a separate report from an MPA aircrew of another suspected narcotics-smuggling vessel transiting international waters. Waesche directed the launch of the deployed Jacksonville, Florida, based Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) aircrew and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to interdict the vessel. The seizure resulted in an additional estimated 400 pounds of cocaine and 4,500 pounds of marijuana.
“Counternarcotics is one of the Coast Guard’s most tactically demanding missions, requiring the integration of multiple Coast Guard units, federal agencies and partner nations,” said Capt. Robert S. Mohr, Waesche’s commanding officer. “The crew’s tenacity throughout the patrol and focus seizing drugs from suspected smugglers in international waters off the coast of Central America is a testament to this crew’s resiliency. They embody the best the Coast Guard has to offer with their determination and teamwork.”
The Waesche deployed with the HITRON aircrew, the Coast Guard’s Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team Detachment 108, and a civilian team responsible for operating the cutter’s ScanEagle, an advanced unmanned aircraft system.
Additionally, the crew of the Waesche completed joint exercises with the Mexican Navy during the patrol. Waesche conducted formation operations with ARM Jalisco, a 280-foot Oaxaca-class offshore patrol vessel, executing maneuvers in close-quarters range to strengthen partner-nation relationships, interoperability, and operational proficiency between the sea services.
As part of the Coast Guard’s living marine resources protection mission, Waesche’s crew rescued an entangled sea turtle stuck in discarded fishing line. The crew cut the fishing line and released the turtle back to the ocean.
Waesche’s crew offloaded approximately 6,325 pounds of cocaine and more than 13,220 pounds of marijuana worth a combined estimated wholesale total of more than $166 million in San Diego. In addition to Waesche’s two interdictions, they offloaded contraband interdicted by the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast’s (WMEC 623) crew who were responsible for one interdiction, seizing approximately 3,300 pounds of cocaine and the Coast Guard Cutter Active’s (WMEC 618) crew who were responsible for two interdictions seizing approximately 2,116 pounds of cocaine and 3,716 pounds of marijuana.
The Waesche is one of four Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda, California. National security cutters are capable of operating in the most demanding open ocean environments, including the hazardous fisheries of the North Pacific and the vast approaches of the Southern Pacific where a large amount of narcotics traffic occurs. With robust command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment, stern boat launch and aviation facilities, as well as long-endurance station keeping, the national security cutters are afloat operational-level headquarters for complex law enforcement and national security missions involving multiple Coast Guard and partner agency participation.
Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star returns home by Easter after 144-day Operation Deep Freeze 2023 mission
Editor’s Note: Click here to view the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Polar Operations imagery page
SEATTLE – The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew returned to its homeport of Seattle, Saturday, following a 144-day deployment to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023.
This deployment marks the Polar Star’s 26th journey to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) – the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). This year also marks the 63rd iteration of the annual operation.
The Polar Star crew departed Seattle bound for Antarctica on Nov. 14, 2022, traveling more than 25,000 miles through the North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, Southern, and South Atlantic Oceans, including stops in four continents.
While en route to Antarctica, the Polar Star made two logistical stops in Australia in Chowder Bay, Sydney and Hobart. In Hobart, the cutter and crew hosted a reception on the cutter for guests from the Australian Antarctic Division, Australian Border Force, Tasmanian government representatives, and local industry partners.
After arriving in Antarctica, the cutter broke a 15.3-mile channel through fast ice and conducted over 1,600 hours of ice breaking operations to create a navigable route for cargo vessels to reach McMurdo Station. The Polar Star and crew executed more than 60 hours of ice escorts for cargo vessels through difficult pack ice conditions. The cutter departed the Antarctic region on March 2, after 67 days of operations in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023.
On the return journey, the Polar Star crossed Drake Passage, rounded Cape Horn and transited the Strait of Magellan followed by stops in Punta Arenas and Valparaiso, Chile. The Polar Star’s stop in Valparaiso consisted of a multi-day visit where the crew conducted professional exchanges with Chilean Navy and First Naval Zone members, as well as students from the Chilean-U.S. Binational Center.
“The completion of this mission is a testament to our crew’s hard work, sacrifice and dedication,” said Capt. Keith Ropella, Polar Star’s commanding officer. “While this trip was incredibly rewarding and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we are glad to be home and reunited with our friends and families again.”
Operation Deep Freeze is the annual logistical support mission provided by the Department of Defense to the NSF managed by the USAP. This includes coordination of strategic intertheater airlift, tactical intertheater airlift and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation support, search and rescue response, sealift, seaport access, bulk fuel supply, port cargo handling, and transportation requirements supporting the NSF. This is a unique mission demonstrating U.S. commitment to the Antarctic Treaty and to research programs conducted for the betterment of all humanity. The Polar Star and crew contribute to this yearly effort through icebreaking to clear the channel for supply vessels.
The Polar Star will proceed to Vallejo, California, in May for Phase III of its five-year Service Life Extension Project (SLEP). SLEP was awarded to Mare Island Dry Dock LLC to recapitalize targeted systems such as the propulsion, communication and machinery control systems and conduct major maintenance to extend the cutter’s service life by four years. By replacing obsolete, unsupportable or maintenance-intensive equipment, the Coast Guard will mitigate the risk of lost operational days due to unplanned maintenance or system failures. Each phase is coordinated so that operational commitments, such as Operation Deep Freeze missions in Antarctica will still be met.
The Polar Star is the United States’ only asset capable of providing access to both Polar Regions. It is a 399-foot heavy polar icebreaker commissioned in 1976, weighing 13,500 tons and is 84-feet wide with a 34-foot draft. The six diesel and three gas turbine engines produce up to 75,000 horsepower.
Combatting Climate Change
Captured by SD 1078 in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Fiona, Sept. 22, 2022. (Video: NOAA and Saildrone)
Excerpted from the upcoming article in the May 2023 issue of Seapower Magazine
As climate change increasingly affects weather patterns over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, tracking hurricanes and monitoring their intensity has become more critical than ever.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that between 1980 and 2021, hurricanes caused 6,697 deaths and over $1.1 trillion in damages. Hurricanes’ massive waves and roaring winds can also have catastrophic effects on ships at sea, making accurate forecasting a must for naval operations.
While new technology has steadily improved hurricane-tracking forecasts since the 1990s, predicting how rapidly a tropical storm or hurricane may intensify has been more problematic. To understand storm intensity, scientists measure heat and momentum, collecting data on the exchange of energy between the ocean and atmosphere. But in order to do this in the most accurate way, scientists need data from inside the storm itself.
That’s where uncrewed systems come in. “With uncrewed systems, we can either do what we’re already doing, but do it more productively and efficiently, or we can go get data we just couldn’t get before,” said NOAA Corps Captain William Mowitt, director of NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Operations Center.
You can read the full article about how the U.S. Navy, NOAA, and private partners are using uncrewed systems and new technologies to forecast hurricanes in the May issue of Seapower Magazine.
Vicky Uhland is a Colorado-based writer and editor who also covers the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference.
Coast Guard Uses New Tech for Oil Spill Response
Kirsten Trego talks about the USCG – Oil Spill Response: Tech Effort on the Horizon in the exhibit hall.
When most people think of the U.S. Coast Guard, they envision daring rescues at sea. But the USCG has a variety of lesser-known but equally important duties, said USCG Capt. (Ret.) Kirsten Trego.
During the Monday morning presentation, “USCG Oil Spill Response: Tech Efforts on the Horizon,” Trego discussed how the Coast Guard is the federal on-scene coordinator for oil-discharge cleanup in the coastal zone. That zone not only includes the nation’s shores, but also rivers, waterways, the Great Lakes and more.
“If something happens, we’re the best prepared,” she said.
The USGS has a 30-person team dedicated to oil-spill responses. One of the team’s focuses is working with the oil and gas industry, state and local governments, federal agencies and academia to research how oil spills are evolving and how best to deal with them.
Trego said these research initiatives include the Great Lakes Oil Center of Expertise, which is dedicated to research, training and testing focused on freshwater and cold-weather conditions during an oil-spill response.
The Coast Guard is also increasingly relying on uncrewed systems to more quickly and safely respond to spills, Trego said. New technology like sub-surface remote sensing uses long-range autonomous underwater vehicles to detect oil under ice in the Great Lakes. There is also an air focus, including remote-sensing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
“And where the fun is, is the NOAA MESDIS Marine Pollution Surveillance Program from space,” Trego said. Remote-sensing UAS can see oil spills from space, characterize them and report the data.
Trego anticipates more UAS involvement in oil-spill responses in the future. “In the changing landscape of more oil exploration and more risk, traditional methods are no longer viable,” she said. “When spills happen, we need to be ready and available to handle them.”
Coast Guard Cutter Warren Deyampert commissions in Boston
Coast Guard Cutter Warren Deyampert commissions in Boston
BOSTON — The Coast Guard’s newest cutter, the Coast Guard Cutter Warren Deyampert (WPC-1151), was commissioned at Coast Guard Base Boston, March 30.
Chief Warrant Officer Lance DeFoggi, assumed command of the cutter during a ceremony presided over by Vice Admiral Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander. The Warren Deyampert is the second of six Fast Response Cutters that will be homeported in Boston, serving along the 1st Coast Guard District.
“This is truly a special moment in our lives and a milestone for our family’s history that will be remembered for generations to come,” said Pamela Jackson, a cousin of Deyampert, and the ship’s sponsor “To the crew, congratulations on the commissioning of the 51st Fast Response Cutter that will bear the name of my cousin, Warren Deyampert. I am so honored to serve as the sponsor and know that this crew will always have a special place in my heart.”
The Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC) is designed for multiple missions, including drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. The Coast Guard has ordered 65 FRCs to replace the 1980s-era Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping.
“Now, we are standing ready, to get underway to perform all of the missions we have been training for in the birthplace of the Coast Guard,” said DeFoggi. “We will strive to embody the words of our motto, ‘Gallantry during grave peril’, as what was written on Deyampert’s award citation”.
Born in Attalla, Alabama, the cutter’s namesake joined the Coast Guard at age 19, and served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba during World War II, beginning in August, 1941. Deyampert’s primary role was within the food service rating, but he also served as one of the ship’s three rescue swimmers.
Following a torpedo attack on the U.S. Army transport ship Dorchester in North Atlantic waters on Feb. 3, 1943, Deyampert swam in absolute darkness to rescue survivors in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. His efforts affected the rescue of more than 100 crewmembers, many of whom were hypothermic and unable to swim.
Four months later, June 13, 1943, the Escanaba sank, following an explosion onboard that was believed to be from a torpedo attack. All but two crewmembers were killed in the explosion. Deyampert was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Purple Heart Medal for his heroic rescue of the Dorchester crew.
