NEWPORT, R.I. — The Coast Guard held a joint change-of-homeport ceremony for USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908) and USCGC Campbell (WMEC 909) Aug. 19 at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island.  

The Tahoma and Campbell are 270-foot Famous-class medium-endurance cutters previously based at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The relocation of these two cutters will allow the U.S. Navy to conduct infrastructure upgrades as part of a Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. 

Adm. Linda L. Fagan, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, presided over the ceremony. 

“For these two ships, this is actually a homecoming,” said Fagan. “Nine of the Coast Guard’s 270-foot medium endurance cutters, including the Tahoma and Campbell, were constructed right here in Rhode Island. These cutter’s new berths in Newport will provide a continued pathway for our crews to maintain geographic stability in southeastern New England while they conduct historic missions throughout the globe in support of the Atlantic Area commander.” 

Attendees at today’s ceremony included Rhode Island Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. David Cicilline, Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, Capt. James McIver, commanding officer of Naval Station Newport, and other local officials. 

“We are proud to welcome USCGC Tahoma and USCGC Campbell home to Naval Station Newport,” said McIver. “As fellow members of the United States’ maritime services, we look forward to the return of these units to their original birthplace here in Rhode Island and supporting them as they carry out global missions to meet the needs of our nation and the Joint Force.“ 

Tahoma is the third Coast Guard cutter to bear the name. Campbell is the sixth Coast Guard cutter to bear its name. Tahoma and Campbell are the eighth and ninth cutters, respectively, of 13 Famous-class cutters in service by the Coast Guard. Both cutters were commissioned in 1988 and are under the operational control of Coast Guard Atlantic Area. 

KETCHIKAN, Alaska — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska on Aug. 19 after a 36-day transit from Key West, Florida, the Coast Guard 17th District said in a release.  

Douglas Denman, the Coast Guard’s 49th fast response cutter, traveled nearly 7,000 miles from the most southeastern city in the U.S. to the most southeastern city in Alaska, transiting through the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal and up the west coast of Central America and the U.S. 

Following production of the ship in 2020, the first crewmember arrived in Ketchikan summer of 2021. Since then, the crew has undergone a year of administration and training in preparation to take ownership of the cutter. The engineering department alone attended a total of three months of school in addition to the crew’s seven weeks of familiarity training in Lockport, Louisiana, and seven weeks of post delivery availability phase in Key West.    

“It’s been a long but extremely rewarding journey to get to this point,” said Chief Petty Officer Hayes Printy, the cutter’s engineering chief. “Seeing the crew’s growth throughout the process and being able to make this unit what we want is an experience I will cherish and not forget.”  

The cutter will be commissioned at the end of September and fully operational in its area of responsibility in Southeast Alaska where the missions will include law enforcement, fisheries enforcement, search and rescue and national security.   

The Douglas Denman is scheduled to be permanently homeported in Sitka, Alaska, upon completion of required shore infrastructure improvements. 

NEW LONDON, Conn. — The Coast Guard will be hosting a formal ceremony to commemorate the construction of a National Coast Guard Museum in New London, Connecticut, Friday, Aug. 19 at 2:00 p.m., on the City Pier in New London, Connecticut, the Coast Guard Academy said in an Aug. 15 release 

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut; Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the Coast Guard; and local government officials will attend the event.  

Principle speakers will give remarks during a formal “keel-laying” ceremony to commemorate the construction of a National Coast Guard Museum that will memorialize over 230 years of service into one central location to honor the legacy and heritage of the world’s greatest Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Band, silent drill team and operational assets will also be part of the event.  

A longstanding tradition in the shipbuilding industry, a “keel-laying” celebrates the laying down of a ship’s keel, marking the start of its construction. Although modern shipbuilding techniques have evolved and the ceremony is now properly called a “keel authentication”, the Coast Guard is drawing from the traditions and nomenclature of old when inaugurating the building of the nation’s first and only National Coast Guard Museum. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department has increased the ceiling for its contract for Lot 15 Joint Strike Fighters to 129, the department said in an Aug. 12 release.  

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a not-to-exceed $7.63 billion firm-fixed-price, fixed-price incentive (firm target), un-definitized modification to a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract, the Defense Department said in the release. The modification increases the contract ceiling to procure 129 F-35s. 

Of the 129 F-35s, the total includes three F-35Bs and 10 F-35Cs for the U.S. Marine Corps and 10 F-35Cs for the U.S. Navy. The numbers notionally will enable the Navy and Marine Corps each to add one F-35C squadron to its force structure. 

The total also includes 49 F-35As for the U.S. Air Force; 32 F-35As and four F-35Bs for non-U.S. program partners; and 16 F-35As for Foreign Military Sales customers. The contract also includes 69 shipsets of hardware.   

The Navy currently has two F-35C fleet squadrons on strength, while the Marine Corps has one. The Corps also fields five fleet F-35B squadrons. 

Work on the contract is expected to be completed in October 2024. 

MANUS, Papua New Guinea — The U.S. Coast Guard is participating with partners to support the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency-led Operation Island Chief and the larger Operation Blue Pacific through patrols in the Western Pacific in August and September 2022, the Coast Guard’s Micronesia Sector said in an Aug. 14 release. 

“Employing our unique authorities, capabilities, and access within Oceania is a privilege. We are eager to further integrate with our Allies and regional partners to protect national interests and combat illicit maritime activity such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam commander. “Strengthening governance and modeling professional maritime behavior on the high seas and the surrounding waters is one way to counter predatory activity and reinforce the Pacific as a positive center of gravity and sustainable economy.” 

The operation covers a substantial area of the Pacific on the high seas and the exclusive economic zones of the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the Solomon Islands, while renewing relationships bolstered by local knowledge and expertise. 

The USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140), a 154-foot Sentinel-class fast response cutter, and crew deployed from Guam are making their first port call of the patrol in Manus, Papua New Guinea. During the patrol, the cutter will also have aerial support from a forward deployed HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and New Zealand Defence Force P-3 Orion airplane crew. Where possible, the crew will also conduct subject matter expert exchanges and engagements. 

Operation Island Chief is one of four operations conducted annually under FFA. It includes the Pacific waters of 11 participating FFA member nations – Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. 

“The Oliver Henry crew are committed to regional collaboration and sharing best practices to strengthen our relationships and information sharing,” said Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, commanding officer of Oliver Henry. “The U.S. Coast Guard has been a dedicated partner in the region for decades. We appreciate the support of our colleagues as we take this ship across vast distances in this region, making some transits and port calls for the first time.” 

A significant emphasis of the operation for the U.S. Coast Guard is the ongoing emphasis on fisheries and resource protection. 

“The Pacific Ocean is home to some of the world’s most abundant fisheries,” said Simmons. “These fisheries are living marine resources, part of the global food chain, representing food security and an economic engine for many of the Pacific Island Nations. By leveraging our cutters, aircraft, and intelligence professionals, the U.S. Coast Guard continues our strong partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and its members to protect this vital marine ecosystem and ensure continued economic prosperity and a thriving ocean for future generations.” 

According to FFA, partners are seeing increasing success through multilateral operations in the Pacific to tackle IUUF. These operations evolved from a focus on protecting against illegal boats entering the fisheries to policing the operations of licensed vessels that haven’t followed the rules and regulations governing their activities. The Pacific region is a vast expanse, and collaboration across the many partners, providing personnel and assets, is crucial to ongoing success. 

The Oliver Henry is the 40th Sentinel-class fast response cutter. The ship arrived in Guam and was commissioned along with its sister ships, Myrtle Hazard and Frederick Hatch, in July 2021. In the time since, the crew has participated in several search and rescues cases, completed a counternarcotics patrol off Guam with the Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Mizuho, and conducted sovereignty and fisheries patrols in the Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam area of responsibility. 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos and Caribbean Corridor Strike Force agents offloaded 2,425 pounds of seized cocaine Aug. 8, following three separate at-sea interdictions near Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release. 

Fourteen men, Dominican Republic nationals, apprehended in these cases are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico. The seized contraband has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $22 million dollars. 

These interdictions are the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force.  

During the afternoon of Aug. 3, the aircrew of a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine multi-role enforcement aircraft detected a 25-foot suspect vessel north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. During the interdiction, the smugglers jettisoned multiple bales of suspected contraband into the water. Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos, assisted by the aircrew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, stopped the suspect vessel, apprehended four men and recovered 13 bales of the jettisoned cargo that collectively weighted 1,653 pounds and tested positive for cocaine. 

During the afternoon of July 29, the aircrew of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine multi-role enforcement aircraft detected a 20-foot suspect vessel in waters northwest of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico. During the interdiction, the smugglers jettisoned multiple bales of suspected contraband into the water. Cutter Joseph Tezanos stopped the smuggling vessel, apprehended four men and recovered eight bales of the jettisoned cargo that collectively weighted approximately 441 pounds and tested positive for cocaine. 

During the afternoon of July 27, the aircrew of Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a 20-foot suspect vessel in waters northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. During the interdiction, the smugglers jettisoned multiple bales of suspected contraband into the water. Cutter Joseph Tezanos  arrived on scene and stopped the non-compliant vessel, apprehended six men and recovered three bales of the jettisoned cargo that collectively weighted approximately 330 pounds and tested positive for cocaine. 

“These successful interdictions reflect the unwavering resolve and strong partnerships between the Coast Guard and our Caribbean Border Interagency Group partners in stopping illicit drug trafficking in the high seas,” said Capt. José E. Díaz, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan. “I’m proud of the professionalism and performance of the cutter Joseph Tezanos in apprehending 14 smugglers and preventing these drugs from reaching the shores and streets of Puerto Rico.”  

Special Agents supporting the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force are leading the investigation into this case.  

Cutter Joseph Tezanos is a 154-foot fast response cutter that is homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

PEARL HARBOR — Four Hawaii-based Coast Guard units concluded operations contributing to the largest Coast Guard participation in the history of RIMPAC and returned to service of the residents of Hawaii and the Pacific region on Aug. 4, the Coast Guard 14th District said in a release. 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Midgett and William Hart, the Pacific Dive Locker, and Maritime Safety and Security Team Honolulu partnered with military members from Australia, Peru, Republic of Korea, Canada, France and Japan throughout the in-port and at-sea portions of the Rim of the Pacific 2022, which ran from late June to early August. The exercise marked a series of “firsts” for Coast Guard participation. 

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett conducted a broad spectrum of operations with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Ship Izumo, the USS Chafee, USS Gridley, French Navy Frigate FS Prairial, and Peruvian Navy BAP Guise. The combined team of Midgett, William Hart, Izumo and USS Essex completed RIMPAC’s first mass rescue operation, successfully partnering to find, recover and provide medical assistance to 10 simulated people in the water. 

Following RIMPAC, Midgett’s crew will depart on a western Pacific patrol to build on the regional partnerships demonstrated here and conduct international training and fisheries law enforcement. William Hart’s crew will conduct necessary maintenance, complete training, and resume their role as a standby search-and-rescue asset for vessels in distress in the waters around Hawaii, a role it shares with the other two fast response cutters in Honolulu, Cutter Joseph Gerczak and Cutter Oliver Berry. 

This year’s RIMPAC featured the first Coast Guard-led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise. The exercise tested reopening a harbor that had been struck by a simulated hurricane. A boat crew from Coast Guard MSST Honolulu partnered with underwater survey teams from the U.S. and Royal Australian Navies to conduct underwater scans of Honolulu Harbor to identify hidden hazards. After that, divers from the Coast Guard Pacific Dive Locker collaborated with divers from the U.S. Army and Republic of Korea Navy to remove the hazards and practice maintaining aids to navigation underwater. 

Following RIMPAC, the Pacific Diver Locker will focus on training and preparations for annual safety inspections and provide support to local Coast Guard assets and aids to navigation missions.

“This was an incredible opportunity to work alongside our partners in the Blue Pacific to strengthen our relationships,” said Coast Guard 14th District Commander Rear Adm. Michael Day. “Our ability to come together for RIMPAC 22, in person, has helped reconnect within and beyond the region. It is through those connections and relationships that we will move forward to bolster impactful engagement opportunities.”  

LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards LLC has delivered the Coast Guard Cutter William Chadwick to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida, the company said Aug. 4. This is the 176th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 50^th fast response cutter delivered under the current program.  

“It’s incredibly meaningful that we could deliver the 50th FRC, the USCGC William Chadwick, on the Coast Guard’s 232^nd birthday and that she’ll be homeported in Sector Boston, the birthplace of the Coast Guard,” said Bollinger President and CEO Ben Bordelon.

“Pound for pound, the quality and capabilities of the FRC platform is unmatched and can be looked upon as a model government acquisition program. Our unique experience building for the Coast Guard is unparalleled and has shown time and time again that we can successfully deliver the highest quality vessels on a reliable, aggressive production schedule and cost, even in the most challenging circumstances. We look forward to continuing our historic partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.” 

Chadwick will be the first of six FRCs to be homeported in Sector Boston, responsible for coastal safety, security and environmental protection from the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border southward to Plymouth, Massachusetts out to 200 nautical miles offshore. Sector Boston directs over 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Auxiliary members whose mission is to protect and secure vital infrastructure, rescue mariners in peril at sea, enforce federal law, maintain navigable waterways, and respond to all hazards impacting the maritime transportation system and coastal region. 

Each fast response cutter is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. William P. Chadwick served as keeper of the Green Island Lifeboat Station in New Jersey and was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for the rescue of the crew of the schooner George Taulane on Feb. 3, 1880.  Even after suffering a debilitating injury from flying debris, Chadwick directed the repeated efforts to save the crew of the broken Taulane as they battled mother nature’s high winds, heavy rains and dangerous surf. Finally, after five and a half hours, Chadwick’s men were able to erect a breeches buoy.  Within a half hour all the Taulane’s crew were safely ashore. 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant’s crew returned to Port Canaveral on July 22 after completing a 68-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said July 28. 

The crew’s deployment was focused on collaborating with other Coast Guard assets to detect, deter, and intercept unsafe and illegal migrant voyages en route to the United States.  

During the patrol, the crew interdicted 19 vessels with 460 Cuban and Haitian migrants attempting to illegally enter the United States, and aided a group of Cubans stranded on an island.   

In support of Coast Guard Sector Key West, Vigilant’s crew interdicted 18 vessels while patrolling in the Florida Straits. During the patrol, the crew approached a grossly overloaded sailing vessel with 147 Haitian migrants onboard. The cutter’s crew provided care and medical attention to the migrants before repatriating them to Haiti.  

As a tropical depression with 40 mph winds and 10 to 12-foot seas approached the Florida Straits, Vigilant’s crew interdicted three overloaded and unseaworthy homemade vessels in a 12-hour period, saving 44 Cuban migrants.  

The crew also supported the Coast Guard 7th District Operation Southeast Watch in the Windward Pass. Operation Southeast watch is an interagency effort to detect and deter vessels engaged in illegal maritime migration. While in the Windward Pass, the crew oversaw and coordinated patrol assignments for aircraft and seven other cutters off the coast of Haiti. Vigilant’s crew worked with Coast Guard Cutter William Trump’s crew to interdict an overloaded and unstable sailing vessel, rescuing 107 Haitian migrants.    

“During this 68-day patrol, Vigilant’s crew supported homeland security objectives by deterring illegal maritime migration,” said Cmdr. Jay Guyer, commanding officer of the Vigilant. “Interdicting and rescuing nearly 500 people over a two-month patrol is a testament to the incredible professionalism of our crew.” 

Vigilant, a 210-foot Reliance-class medium-endurance cutter, patrols the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, performing counter-drug operations, migrant interdiction operations, search and rescue, and fisheries enforcement. 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The USCGC Seneca (WMEC 906) returned to homeport in Portsmouth July 21 after a 54-day deployment in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Coast Guard 5th District said July 22. 

The Seneca crew supported the U.S. Coast Guard 1st District as they conducted a series of commercial fishing vessel boardings from New York to Maine to ensure compliance with federal safety, fisheries, and environmental regulations. The boardings conducted by Seneca’s crew resulted in 17 notices of violation and two voyage terminations.  

“This rewarding patrol showcased the devotion and hard work of an amazing crew,” said Cmdr. James F. McCormack, commanding officer of Seneca. “The crew exhibited selfless service during a high-tempo patrol. The 53 boardings promoted safety at sea and sustainability of marine life for generations to come. Our presence strengthens trust between the Coast Guard and the fishing fleet, while setting the standard for Coast Guard operations in the North Atlantic Ocean.” 

Additionally, the Seneca’s crew responded to seven search and rescue cases, three of which resulted in lives saved or assisted.  

During one of the search and rescue cases, the crew of Seneca worked in partnership with a Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60T helicopter crew to medically evacuate two critically injured people from a sailing vessel 350 nautical miles offshore. The Seneca crew also rescued the two remaining stranded sailors.  

During a second search and rescue case, the cutter crew rendered assistance and towed a disabled fishing vessel 70 miles.

The Seneca is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth with 100 crew members. The cutter’s primary missions include search and rescue, living marine resources, illegal drug interdictions, counter narcotics, migrant interdictions, ensuring the safety of life at sea and enforcing international and domestic maritime laws in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.