Puerto Rico — Coast Guard Cutters’ Joseph Tezanos and Heriberto Hernandez crews offloaded approximately 1,289 pounds of cocaine and transferred custody of six suspected smugglers at Coast Guard Base San Juan April 18, following two separate vessel interdictions near Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release. 

These interdictions are the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. The seized cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $11.7 million. 

The most recent interdiction occurred during a routine patrol April 11, 2022, after the crew of a Customs and Border Protection multi-role enforcement aircraft sighted a suspect vessel in waters northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Heriberto Hernandez that arrived on scene and interdicted a 25-foot go-fast vessel. The vessel was carrying four men — Dominican Republic nationals — and six bales of suspected contraband, which tested positive for cocaine. The cutter crew apprehended the suspects and seized the contraband. 

During a routine patrol April 6, 2022, the crew of a Customs and Border Protection multi-role enforcement aircraft sighted a suspect vessel north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Joseph Tezanos that arrived on scene and interdicted a 30-foot go-fast vessel. The vessel was carrying three men — Dominican  Republic nationals — and eight bales of suspected contraband, which tested positive for cocaine. The cutter crew apprehended the suspects and seized the contraband. One suspected smuggler from this group, who required medical care ashore, was medically evacuated Thursday to a hospital in Puerto Rico. 

“Safeguarding the nation’s southernmost maritime border is among our top priorities,” said Capt. Gregory H. Magee, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “You can expect to see many more of these interdictions from the Coast Guard and from our local and federal partners as we work together to stop drug smuggling go-fast vessels from making landfall in the Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.” 

Special Agents supporting the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force received custody of the detainees and the seized contraband, and they are leading the investigation into this case. The apprehended smugglers are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico on criminal charges of Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Aboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. The charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life. 

Cutters Heriberto Hernandez and Joseph Tezanos are 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The 140-member crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) returned to the United States and entered dry dock Friday after completing a 147-day deployment in support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and national interests in Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said April 8. 
 
The Polar Star’s crew departed their Seattle homeport on Nov. 13, 2021, for the cutter’s 25th Operation Deep Freeze deployment and traveled 24,300 nautical miles to Antarctica and back. 
 
This year marks the 66th iteration of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program. Since 1955, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Coast Guard have provided air and maritime support across and around the Antarctic continent. 
 
The cutter made several international port calls including stops in Wellington and Lyttelton, New Zealand, and Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Polar Star’s crew hosted the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and members of the Royal New Zealand Navy while in New Zealand. 
 
While in Antarctica, Polar Star transited through more than 450 miles of pack ice and broke a 37-mile channel through seven-foot-thick fast ice to McMurdo Station to allow the safe transit and offload of supply vessels Ocean Giant and Maersk Peary.  
 
Polar Star also partnered with the Royal New Zealand Navy to escort the ice-capable logistics ship HMNZS Aotearoa for its first trip to McMurdo Station. 
 
Polar Star transited to the Bay of Whales Feb. 17, setting a record for the furthest south any vessel has navigated, reaching 78 degrees 44 minutes 1.32 seconds south latitude, keeping about 500 yards from the ever-shifting Ross Ice Shelf. The cutter also surveyed 396 nautical miles of the ice shelf for future navigational use. 
 
Polar Star spent a total of 65 days in Antarctica, making it the longest Operation Deep Freeze deployment completed by a Coast Guard polar icebreaker in 18 years. 
 
After completing operations in Antarctica, Polar Star moored in Hobart and hosted Tasmanian Gov. Barbara Baker, and U.S. Consul General Kathleen Lively, along with several other government and military officials that are dedicated to supporting scientific efforts in Antarctica. 
 
“I am so proud of this crew and their accomplishments,” said Capt. William Woityra, commanding officer of the Polar Star. “They overcame constant challenges to complete the mission and set records along the way. They epitomize the values on the Antarctica Service Medal: courage, sacrifice, and devotion. I can think of no better team to lead future expeditions and new icebreakers as the Coast Guard invests in Polar Security Cutters.” 
 
Polar Star did not return to its homeport of Seattle, instead the crew proceeded directly to dry dock in Vallejo, California, to immediately start work on the second phase of a five-year, $75 million Service Life Extension Program. The Coast Guard will replace antiquated technology to ensure the longevity of the nation’s only operational heavy icebreaker while in dry dock this year, supporting the Coast Guard’s enduring commitment to Antarctic operations. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden nominated Adm. Linda L. Fagan to serve as the 27th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Upon confirmation, Adm. Fagan will be the first woman to serve as commandant of the Coast Guard, the service said April 5. 

Fagan currently serves as the 32nd vice commandant, having assumed the duties on June 18, 2021. The vice commandant is the vice service chief and chief operating officer, responsible for executing the Commandant’s Strategic Intent, managing internal organizational governance, and serving as the Component Acquisition Executive. 

Previously, Fagan served as commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area overseeing operations from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. Fagan is the Coast Guard’s first-ever Gold Ancient Trident, as the officer with the longest service record in the Marine Safety field. 

Pending confirmation, Fagan is expected to relieve the current commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Karl L. Schultz, during a change of command ceremony planned for June 1, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Schultz will retire following the change of command this summer. 

“Adm. Fagan is an exceptional senior Coast Guard officer and nominee, possessing the keen intellect, the depth of operational experience, and the well-honed leadership and managerial acumen to serve with distinction as our Service’s 27th commandant,” said Schultz. 

Fagan has selected and the president has nominated Vice Adm. Steven D. Poulin as the Coast Guard’s 33rd vice commandant. Poulin currently serves as the commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area and is responsible for all Coast Guard missions from the Rocky Mountains to the Persian Gulf.

Pending confirmation, Poulin is expected to relieve Fagan as vice commandant of the Coast Guard during a change of watch ceremony planned for May 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C. 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) returned to homeport in Portsmouth on April 4 following a 50-day patrol in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a release. 

While on patrol, the Harriet Lane crew navigated over 6,559 miles along the southeastern coast of the United States, extending as far south as the northern coast of Cuba and east to the Bahamas, performing migrant interdiction and search and rescue operations in support of the U.S. Coast Guard 7^th District. 

The Harriet Lane patrolled the Florida Straits to aid with a recent surge in unsafe and illegal migration by sea. The crew interdicted six unseaworthy vessels carrying approximately 467 individuals of Cuban or Haitian origin and cared for more than 520 migrants aboard the cutter during a four-week time span while awaiting logistics for repatriation. 

The crew also assisted in two search-and-rescue cases after receiving notification of an individual stranded on Anguilla Cay, Bahamas, and another case where several people were stranded in the water near Cuban territorial waters. 

“I remain in awe of this steadfast crew. They answered the call on multiple occasions during our patrol, ensuring safety of life at sea while preventing illegal entry into the United States,” said Cmdr. Ben Goff, commanding officer of Harriet Lane. “This mission can take an emotional toll, but our team stuck together and persevered through every challenge and adversity presented. The crew shifted gears upon return to homeport and met the next challenge of readying Harriet Lane for an important maintenance upgrade cycle with aplomb. We are forever grateful for the outstanding support we receive across the Coast Guard and from our loved ones at home. I’m looking forward to getting our crew well-earned downtime with friends and family.” 

Following this patrol, the vessel will undergo a nine-month planned maintenance and upgrade period at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore. 

The Harriet Lane is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter responsible for a variety of missions, including search and rescue, drug interdiction, migrant interdiction, other law enforcement and marine environmental protection. 

The U.S. Coast Guard national security and medium-endurance vessels homeported on the East Coast operate under the ultimate authority of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander located in Portsmouth, Virginia, overseeing all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Persian Gulf. 

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless’ crew offloaded more than $160 million at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, April 1, before returning to homeport in Pensacola, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release.

Dauntless’ crew seized approximately 8,500 pounds of cocaine and apprehended 13 suspected drug smugglers with Dominican Republic and Colombian nationalities following a 45-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea.

The Dauntless’ crew worked alongside multiple U.S. Coast Guard assets and international assets, including the HNLMS Friesland of the Royal Netherlands Navy to interdict the illegal drug smuggling ventures.

“The Coast Guard’s strong international partnerships, counter threats in the maritime domain, protect each of our countries from transnational organized crime, and work to stabilize and promote good governance in the region,” said Lt. Paul Puddington, a District Seven duty enforcement officer. “We are thankful for coordinated efforts across the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Defense, Customs and Border Protection, as well as our international partners from the Netherlands and throughout Central and South America.”

The fight against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation.

During at-sea interdictions, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida. The law enforcement phase of operations in the Caribbean Sea is conducted under the authority of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Dauntless, 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.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The 500th C-130J Super Hercules aircraft built by Lockheed Martin (Booth 1001) has been delivered to its customer, the company announced March 15.

The aircraft, Lockheed Martin C-130 construction number 5934, is a C-130J-30 version that was delivered to the 130th Airlift Wing, a unit of the West Virginia Air National Guard based at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base in Charleston, West Virginia. The wing is replacing its older C-130 Hercules aircraft with new C-130J-30s.

The C-130J Super Hercules represents a significant advancement in performance, technology and airlift capability over the older C-130 Hercules family of aircraft. The C-130J is equipped with the more powerful Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, six-bladed GE-Dowty R391 composite propellers, modern avionics and mission systems. The Super Hercules features dual head-up displays, an integrated defensive suite, automated maintenance fault reporting, and a rear ramp door capable of opening at airspeeds of up to 250 knots. It has greater speed, range lift capacity, climb rate, cruise altitude and short-field performance than the legacy C-130.

The C-130J Super Hercules is the current production model of the legendary C-130 Hercules aircraft. The C-130J first flew in 1996 and entered service in 1999. It is now the airlift aircraft of choice of 26 operators in 22 nations.

The U.S. military services operate the largest C-130J Super Hercules fleet in the world. The U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard collectively operate C-130J, C-130J-30, AC-130J Ghostrider, EC-130J Commando Solo, HC-130J Combat King II, MC-130J Commando II and WC-130J Weatherbird variants. The Marine Corps operates the KC-130J tanker version and a C-130J as part of the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team. The Coast Guard operates a version of the HC-130J which is different than the version used by the Air Force for search, rescue and logistics. The U.S. Navy is planning to test a version of the C-130J-30 for the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) strategic communications mission.

These are some of the 17 different mission configurations of the C-130J used worldwide for transport (military and commercial), humanitarian aid delivery, aerial firefighting, natural disaster relief support, medevac, search and rescue, special operations, fire support, weather reconnaissance, atmospheric research and aerial refueling.

The C-130J-30 is a version of the Super Hercules, which has an extended fuselage (15 feet, or 4.6 meters) when compared to the basic C-130J. As such, it can carry 30% more passengers and cargo than the basic C-130J and 50% more container delivery system bundles.

The rugged C-130 family of aircraft has been in serial production longer than any other military aircraft in the U.S. inventory. The first C-130A made its first flight in 1954 and entered service in 1956. Since the first C-130 rolled of the Lockheed Martin production line, more than 2,100 were built before production switched to the C-130J. It is flown out of more than 70 nations and has been certified to support upwards of 100 different mission capabilities in its lifetime.

“No aircraft in history, production or operation matches the C-130 Hercules in terms of its versatility. The C-130J both extends and expands this reputation thanks to increased speed, integration and strength,” said Rob Toth, director of Business Development for Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility and Maritime Missions line of business.

As a retired U.S. Air Force Special Operations MC-130H navigator, Toth has experience flying and commanding operations with both legacy and C-130J aircraft.

“The legacy Hercs were great aircraft. The C-130J offers a more enhanced flying experience, especially with the advanced situational awareness and added power,” he said. “You the value of those attributes across all mission scenarios, especially with the maritime patrol, search and rescue, special operations and aerial refueling requirements supported by the U.S. Marine Corps and Coast Guard.”

To date, the Navy is the only U.S. government operator to not have a J in its fleet. Currently the Navy flies C-130s for transport and for 20 years (1963-1993) on the TACAMO missions.

Lockheed Martin is honored to have the Super Hercules selected for TACAMO testing — possibly bringing it back to where it all began, Toth said.

“We are working closely with NAVAIR to support an aggressive acquisition strategy that prioritizes both speed of acquisition and affordability to accelerate recapitalization of one of our nation’s most important capabilities — survivable, reliable, and endurable communications between the president and the nation’s nuclear forces,” Toth adds. “We are proud to be at the heart of this effort and confident that the Super Hercules will deliver the critical capability our nation needs.”  

SAN DIEGO — The  Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) crew offloaded more than 11,300 pounds of cocaine and more than 4,000 pounds of marijuana worth more than $223 million March 31 in San Diego, the Coast Guard 11th District said in a release. 

The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Central and South America, including contraband seized and recovered during eight interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels between late February and early March. 

“At-sea interdictions of pure cocaine are the most effective way to limit cartel’s destabilizing effects throughout the Western Hemisphere,” said Vice Adm. Michael McAllister, Coast Guard Pacific Area commander. “Coast Guard national security cutters like Kimball are the service’s most capable asset to strengthen maritime governance, but when team partners from the Royal Canadian Navy and U.S. Navy Littoral combat ships they leverage our network of international and interagency partners to reduce the availability of illicit drugs in the Western Hemisphere and facilitate U.S. Attorney’s efforts to close the cycle of justice.” 

The drugs were interdicted by the following ships (the total amount listed below is 11,301 pounds of cocaine and 4,076 pounds of marijuana): 

• Kimball’s crew was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 2,295 pounds of cocaine. 
• Coast Guard Cutter Legare’s (WMEC 912) crew was responsible for four interdictions, seizing approximately 4,714 pounds of cocaine and 1,826 pounds of marijuana. 
• Coast Guard Cutter Spencer’s (WMEC 905) crew was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 635 pounds of cocaine and 2,250 pounds of marijuana. 
• Jointly, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife (MM 706) and Kimball’s crews were responsible for one interdiction, seizing approximately 331 pounds of cocaine. 
• Jointly, the crews of the Kimball and Legare were responsible for one interdiction, seizing approximately 3,326 pounds of cocaine. 

“This marks the first of likely many counter-drug patrols for Kimball and I am extremely proud of our crew’s preparation and hard work to make this an extremely successful deployment. Kimball’s crew demonstrated that through teamwork we were able to remove over $100 million dollars of cocaine, preventing it from ever crossing our borders or entering our neighborhoods, and further removing a source of illicit revenue from transnational criminal networks,” said Capt. Thomas D’Arcy, commanding officer of the Kimball.

The Kimball is a 420-foot Legend-Class national security cutter and is homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.

GALVESTON, Texas — A unique student project is helping the Coast Guard find small and hard to detect unmanned autonomous surface vessels that might be used to transport drugs into the U.S. 

Several USVs have been recovered attempting to transit drugs across the maritime border with Mexico and into California. The boats can carry about 90 pounds of cargo, which could be illegal narcotics or other hazardous cargo.

To learn how these boats might be detected by sensors, the Coast Guard engaged the National Security Innovation Network, a Department of Defense office which collaborates with major universities and the venture community to develop solutions that drive national security innovation. With Coast Guard Sector San Diego as the project sponsor, NSIN capstone students at San Diego State University and Rice University in Houston, Texas, have been prototyping boats this semester.

Four USVs have been seized by federal law enforcement authorities in Southern California. The first was found in March 2018, another in December 2020, and two more in February and March of 2021, suggesting a high likelihood there are many more that have gone undetected.

The vessels are three to four feet long and have a freeboard of just seven inches. They navigate autonomously and can travel for about 66 nautical miles at a speed of about 2.5 knots.

According to information provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, their above-water profile is minimal, which makes it hard for existing maritime domain awareness tools and detection capabilities to see them. Not only are they capable of reaching uninhabited shores with illegal narcotics, they could also penetrate defense layers surrounding coastal and harbor-based high value targets — military bases, power plants, or critical infrastructure — with explosives.

The purpose of the NSIN project is to improve coastal surveillance, detection and interdiction capabilities to threats posed by this evolving threat. The students were tasked with designing and testing a USV with similar characteristics to ones previously detected, and to test and demonstrate detection using an existing surveillance tool.

Students from Rice University built a replica boat that was “reverse engineered” and demonstrated in Galveston, Texas, March 29-30 to see how a special high-resolution and wide-angle camera called the WAV Surveillance System could be used to detect the boat in realistic conditions.

“The Rice student team designed and constructed a model that can be used to test existing systems leading to enhanced capabilities and also providing a roadmap for others to replicate similar platforms to routinely test their own system,” said Fritz Kuebler, Rice University’s Office of Research NSIN program director.

“This project has been underway for about two months and has involved extensive research, design and testing by the student team with regular interaction from the project sponsor,” Kuebler said.

“Coast GuardSector Houston-Galveston has been an ardent supporter of this project and provided assets to assist with the testing including deploying and recovering the [unmanned vessel] on the testing days, and coordinated participation with local maritime security stakeholders,” said Kuebler. 

WAV is a long-range video surveillance solution for homeland security applications and other situations that require persistent visual-domain awareness of very wide areas. It was designed by and developed by Innovative Signal Analysis Inc., of Richardson, Texas, and has both commercial and military applications. WAV is uniquely able to function as both a wide-angle and zoom camera at the same time, and is currently deployed in San Diego Harbor. 

“The WAV surveillance system is capable of finding these low probability of intercept targets, because it can survey a wide area, 90-degrees, at a high resolution at a higher refresh rate than a standard point-to-zoom camera,” said Jonathan Ray of Innovative Signal Analysis of Richardson, Texas, the company that makes WAV. “We take advantage of these components in our algorithms to build a history of detects of the object to improve location accuracy and object detection confidence.”

WAV’s imagery led to the eventual discovery of the autonomous USVs. 

“This project highlights the value of bright, dedicated STEM students working with national security experts to make a real difference,” Kuebler. “It also serves as a proof of concept and example for how creative thinking and new methodologies advances broader U.S. strategic objectives regarding maritime security and the value of this critical infrastructure.”

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa returned to their homeport in Portsmouth, Virginia, March 26, after a 70-day patrol in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said March 29. 

Throughout the patrol, Tampa’s crew conducted search and rescue, law enforcement and living marine resources missions. The Tampa boarded 26 vessels to ensure that commercial vessels were adhering to mandates regarding catch size, catch amount, gear type and catch area. In addition, boarding teams found eight violations while inspecting the vessel’s safety equipment for compliance and recommended one vessel to return to port to correct safety of life at sea regulation compliance violations. 

Tampa’s crew focused on mainly on scallop, sole, cod, haddock, redfish, pollock and lobster populations off of the New England coast. The mission includes ensuring the country’s protected marine species are provided the protection necessary to help their populations recover to healthy and sustainable levels. 

“Our crew performed admirably in trying sea-going conditions, often facing extreme weather and frigid temperatures. Their perseverance to effect mission execution was truly inspiring. We cherished the opportunity to operate in New England, working with our partners to enforce regulations that sustain fish and shellfish stocks for future generations, while keeping fishing vessel crews safe,” said Cmdr. Sky Holm, commanding officer of Tampa.

Coast Guard Cutter Tampa is a 270-foot Famous-class medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. The crew routinely deploys in support of counter-drug, migrant interdiction, fisheries enforcement, search and rescue and homeland security missions in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN — The U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned three Island-class patrol boats, March 22, in a ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs said in a release. 

Rear Adm. Keith Smith, deputy commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, attended the ceremony and commemorated 102 years of combined active service by USCGC Maui (WPB 1304), Monomoy (WPB 1326), and Wrangell (WPB 1332).  

“For nearly two decades, these cutters and the Coast Guardsmen that crewed them have worked closely with our [U.S. Naval Forces Central Command] partners and served as the heart of Coast Guard operations in the Middle East,” said Smith. 

Maui was originally homeported in Miami and conducted counter-narcotics and other law enforcement activities near United States for 18 years. 

Monomoy was previously homeported in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The ship helped secure New York City’s harbor immediately following terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. 

In 2004, Maui and Monomoy arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet region where they have remained for the next 18 years in support of U.S. 5th Fleet maritime security operations. 

Previously homeported in Portland, Maine, Wrangell conducted counter-narcotics and maritime patrol operations along the East Coast of the United States before deploying to the Middle East in 2003.