cgf 4-2 (may 2012)

Operations Enabler

Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich

Director of Operational Logistics

Simulation & training

May 2012Volume 4, Issue 2

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Dedicated to Those Who Are Always Ready

FY 2013 Budget O FRC Commissioning O Fire Science Energy Efficient Propulsion

August [4.3]

Rear Adm. Bruce Baffer Director of Acquisition Programs & PEO

Special Section Air Asset Recapitalization

Features Top Contracts Oil Spill Response Ballast Water Management Port Security Units Compel Compliance

Careers & Transitions Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Closing Date: July 20

september [4.4]

Rear Adm. Mark Butt Assistant Commandant for Capability

Special SectionSAR

FeaturesCutterboats Unmanned Vehicles Logistics Afloat Biometrics Security Planning for Maritime Events

Careers & Transitions Forensic Science

Closing Date August 31

OctOber [4.5]

Vice Adm. John Currier Vice Commandant

Special SectionProgram Management Update

FeaturesWho’s Who in the Coast Guard Summer 2012 Arctic Operations Border Security

Careers & TransitionsCriminal Justice

Closing DateOctober 12

December [4.6]

Adm. Robert Papp Commandant

Special Section Stiletto Demonstration Vessel

Features Integrated C4ISR & Navigation Systems Inspection Programs Incident Management & Preparedness

Careers & Transitions Communications/Public Affairs

Closing DateNovember 21

*Bonus DistributionThis editorial calendar is a guide. Content is subject to change. Please verify advertising closing dates with your account executive.

editorial calendar2012U.S. Coast Guard Forum

May 2012 VoluMe 4 • Issue 2U.S. Coast Guard Forum

CoVer / Q&a

Rear Admiral Richard GromlichDirector of Operational Logistics

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Editor’s Perspective

Nav Notes

On the Horizon

Calendar

DepartMents

InDustry InterVIew

Walt HepkerVice President, Business Development

Thales Communications, Inc.

Features

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Budget BalancePresident Obama’s 2013 budget requests $9.97 billion in funding for the Coast Guard, including $8.32 million in discretionary funding and aims to strike a balance between sustaining operations and investing in the future of the service.

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Charting a New CourseHow can a degree in fire science equip Coast Guardsmen with the education needed to complement their experience and advance in rank or transition to a civilian career?

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First in ClassOn April 14 the Coast Guard commissioned the first fast response cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, in Miami, Fla. The 154-foot Sentinel-class cutter built by Bollinger Shipyards will replace the aging 110-foot Island-class and has been called a “game-changer” by the service.

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Ready for the Real ThingU.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May incorporates simulation technology into training to get new recruits as close to the real thing as possible, while safeguarding them against the hazards inherent in their work until they are seasoned enough to face them safely.By Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael H. Cole4

Special Section: Simulation & training

Practice Makes PerfectTighter budgets and advanced technologies pave the way for simulated training, which allows the Coast Guard to reduce costs in a variety of ways: The service can reduce the number of hard trainers they need to purchase, mitigate equipment wear and tear, and eliminate fuel consumption.By Maura McCarthy

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Better Burn: Greener, Cleaner CuttersUnlike federal agencies that consume energy mostly in fixed infrastructure, the Coast Guard’s largest energy consumers are vehicles like vessels and aircraft, leading the service to work to identify energy-saving actions across the fleet.By Henry Canaday

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Volume 4, Issue 2 • May 2012On May 9, Admiral Papp headed to the Hill to testify before the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on the Coast Guard’s fiscal year 2013 budget. Opening the session with a reflection on the commit-tee’s long-time support for the service, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chairman of the committee, noted that while successive presidents submit budgets that inadequately fund the Coast Guard, “Over the past six years this subcommittee has increased the Coast Guard’s budget by an average of $124 million annually above the White House requests. We’ve done this to fill opera-tional and recapitalization shortfalls.” This continued support will be critical as the service proceeds with its recapitalization efforts, forging ahead with the FRC, wrapping up the NSC (hopefully achieving the program of record of eight vessels) and launching the OPC program.

Of concern to Landrieu—and to the commandant as well—is the absence of funding for the final two national security cutters as well as delays for procurement of FRCs, with this year’s request including funding for only two. To decrease from six to two FRCs this year eliminates $30 million in efficiencies and savings, leading Landrieu to comment that “The budget as presented to us decreases saving opportunities, not increases.” When asked if the committee were to award funds for four or more FRCs, would the Coast Guard be in the position to award six FRC contracts this year, Papp responded with an adamant, “Absolutely,” and asserted that the most efficient way to build ships was with a steady stream of funding so that shipbuilders could retain a skilled workforce and buy long-lead time materials. On the NSC program, Papp noted that he remains optimistic that the program of record—eight vessels—will be achieved. “Hulls 7 and 8 are listed in the five year plan—it’s regrettable there are zeros under them, I would like that to be different.” With that said, looking over the horizon at the five year capital investment the commandant sees signs of optimism, with funding for acquisition, construction and improvements inching closer to the $2 billion that he considers necessary to properly execute recapitalization—yet with the projected $1.7 billion in FY17 still falling short.

Papp’s prediction of the effects of sequestration on the service was succinctly honest. “I simply do not know. I can give you a lot of hyperbole talking about massive cuts and massive decommissioning of ships. All of that is true—I don’t have the details,” he stated. “Quite frankly, it would be a nightmare for us.” The Coast Guard is aptly navigating uncertain and stormy seas, yet the service’s leadership can only work with what they are given. The rest is up to the politicians who must exercise the leadership needed in these challenging times.

Maura McCarthy Editor

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U.S. Coast Guard Forum

Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, continues to support wounded warriors from all branches of the armed forces. Since attending the Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors Training at Penn State University in 2010, the director of Morale, Well Being and Recreation (MWR), Blair Markham, has been a key force in organizing annual events for wounded service personnel in the Soldiers Undergoing Disabled SCUBA (SUDS) program. This year, working directly with John Thompson, a certi-fied dive master with SUDS and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, six members of the Marine Corps and Army enjoyed a week of diving on the Isle Del Encanto (Island of Enchantment), Puerto Rico.

During the week, all the divers tested and received their open water dive certification. According to Markham, an avid waterman himself, the conditions could not have been better, with visibility exceeding 75 feet. On February 12, 2012, Blair Markham and Jesus Godoy, an MWR intern from Temple University, joined this team at sea while Dive Charters navigated the Marines, soldiers and members of the SUDS team 12 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico to some of the most exciting dive water in the area. Markham reflected, “It is amazing to watch these veterans don their dive

gear and plunge into the clear azure waters of the Caribbean, and even more rewarding to see the smiles that surface upon the conclusion of their first successful open water dive.”

After a week of daily dives, officers and enlisted Coast Guard members from Air Station Borinquen shared a beachside barbeque and showed their support and respect for these fine young veterans. Captain Robert Phillips, Air Station Borinquen Commanding Officer, and the Chiefs’ Mess of Air Station Borinquen, dressed in their tropical blue uniforms to honor and celebrate the open water dive certification with the group. Showing some true Coast Guard hospitality, members of the local community prepared two meals for the veterans. The menus featured Italian lasagna for lunch and then burgers, brats and grilled fish for dinner. Many of the veterans remarked how food always tastes better when cooked outside over an open flame. As the sun set on the final night, the veterans and active duty Coast Guard swapped some war stories and sea stories in the warm evening air next to an open campfire. The Air Station Borinquen community extends an open invitation to the Wounded Warrior SUDS team and looks forward to next year … Semper Paratus!

Compiled by KMi Media Group staffNAV NOTES

Clarification:The article “Fitness Afloat” on page 26 of CGF 4.1 should have

included the following information:The Coast Guard’s current fitness requirement is outlined

in COMDTINST M1020.8G 1.2.1.3 and states, “All Coast Guard military personnel shall, at a minimum, develop an annual

basic fitness plan.” The Coast Guard is not planning to develop or implement a fitness test for its personnel. Members requiring physical fitness testing are boarding officers, boat crew and aviation survival technicians; these communities have testing procedures in place.

Air Station Borinquen Takes the Plunge with SUDS

Photo by John ThomsonPhoto by Blair Markham

By Robert Davis, Coast Guard MWR Specialist

www.CGF-kmi.com CGF 4.2 | 3

Seven-and-a-half weeks is not a lot of time. Like most survey courses, U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Basic Training must fit an enormous amount of material—ranging from military customs and courtesies to the Coast Guard’s core missions to work/life balance—into a tiny window of time before recruits graduate and join the fleet. Compounding the challenge is the raw nature of recruits, mostly men and women fresh out of high school with no military experience. With the Coast Guard’s wide range of demanding missions, it is criti-cal that new recruits arrive at their first units with the fundamentals necessary to perform basic tasks safely, especially in the core areas of maritime law enforce-ment, damage control and seamanship. To ensure this, U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May (TRACEN) incorporates simulation technology into training to get new recruits as close to the real thing as possible, while safeguarding them against the hazards inherent in their work until they are seasoned enough to face them safely.

MaritiMe Law enforceMent

The safe and effective handling of firearms is a critical part of the Coast Guard’s national security and maritime law enforcement missions. All ratings, from Boatswain’s Mate to Yeoman, may be called upon to participate in boarding parties or to secure shore facilities, sometimes necessitating the use of force. Safe firearms handling skills take time and practice to develop, and the potential for accidents is a cause for concern. To that end, TRACEN Cape May employs a simulation system designed to provide recruits with an introduction to the safe handling and use of the Sig-Sauer P229 .40 Personal Defense Weapon—the standard issue pistol used by Coast Guard personnel.

The combined system is the only one of its kind, a customization based on simulators designed to train members of other branches of the armed services but tailored to the Coast Guard’s basic course of fire. Recruits are armed with real P229s, rendered inert, but completely true to the weight and feel of the actual

U.S. coaSt GUard traininG center cape May USeS SiMULation technoLoGy to prepare recrUitS for Service.

By LieUtenant JUnior Grade MichaeL h. coLe


4 | CGF 4.2 www.CGF-kmi.com

For more information, contact CGF Editor Maura McCarthy at [email protected] or search our online archives

for related stories at www.cgf-kmi.com.

weapon. The simulated weapons are equipped with lasers that track the muzzle’s position and Bluetooth devices that report the position of the trigger to a central computer. Magazines are loaded with compressed air, which simulates the gas discharge of a real weapon, cycling the action and causing recoil at about 60 percent of the force of an actual .40 round. The computer provides a slightly reduced sound of gunfire. Firing at a video screen that tracks where a real round would impact by means of the laser, recruits are drilled by range instructors on the fun-damentals of marksmanship and safe weapons handling on the heels of an hour of classroom pre-fire instruction conducted as if they were in a live-fire scenario. By the time recruits arrive at live fire ranges at their first unit, they understand how to handle and use a weapon safely and have basic familiarization with the sights, sounds and sensations they will expect with an actual P229.

daMaGe controL

Maritime firefighting is another skill that members of any rating may be called upon to exercise in the event of an emergency. Whether as a hose tender, nozzleman or plugman, newly minted Coast Guard members never know when they may be called on to participate in a repair party. As with firearms, the potential for accidental injury to untrained recruits exists, and once again TRACEN Cape May employs simulation technology to give recruits the most realistic possible experience as they build the experience and skill to effectively mitigate associated risks.

A range of simulators are used at TRACEN Cape May to give recruits the experience of going up against a raging maritime fire. Dressed in full firefighting gear including mask, helmet and fire-proof suits and manning real fire hoses in four-person teams, recruits face off against a simulated fire portrayed by 40-inch-by-60-inch LED screens in the “wet room.” The screens are sealed so that the recruits can use the hoses to douse the simulated flames, which can be raised or lowered by instruc-tors depending on recruit performance. Smoke machines use dispersed water to provide simulated smoke—providing recruits with a realistic experience, simulators incorporate the heat, claustrophobia, sweat, exhaustion and disorientation that are components of real firefighting, yet without the risk of severe injury in the event of mistakes. Other apparatuses help simulate real flame scenarios outside the wet room, using propane fueled fires that simulate the heat projection and colors of different types of fires, such as wood/paper based, fuel based, electri-cally based and metal based. In all cases, quick reacting watertight doors and metal bulkheads simulate a ship’s interior and drills recruits for shipboard action, while also preparing them for action in an air sta-tion or other shore command.

SeaManShip

The ability to stand a helm watch is as critical as the ability to handle a firearm or firehose. Most Coast Guard members will work afloat at one time or another in their early careers, whether on a larger cutter or at a small boat station. Helm watch possesses its own distinct vocabulary and follows specific protocols that ensure that commands are properly relayed, understood and executed to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew. In the case of ship and boat steering, a mistake poses less of a chance of immediate injury to a recruit, but there is a risk of damage to expensive and mission essential ships and equip-ment. TRACEN Cape May employs an electronic helm simulator to give recruits the basic familiarization they need to steer ships.

The simulator is a virtual reality video game, housed in a casing that represents the type of equipment a recruit will encounter on a real ship’s helm, including the tiller, helm indicator, rudder angle indicator, magnetic compass and gyro repeater. A video screen above the simu-lated helm displays what the helmsman would actually see: the ship’s prow cutting through the sea. The dynamic 3-D rendered scenery does its best to simulate real conditions, including other ships, fully rendered coastline and weather patterns ranging from calm waters under clear skies to 7-foot swells in a moderate gale. The simulation can represent a broad range of Coast Guard boats and ships from a 47’ motor life boat to the largest polar icebreaker, with the view from the helm varying accordingly. More importantly, the responsiveness of the rudder to the helm is accurately represented. It takes a lot longer for a 378’ ship’s rud-der to respond to helm commands than it does for that of a 47’ boat, and it is important that recruits, most of whose concept of steering response comes from driving a comparatively agile car, understand this concept.

Recruits don a headset with a microphone while using the simula-tor and practice responding to commands from a virtual conning offi-cer, including repeating commands, executing them and then advising of the rudder position. The simulator listens for the recruit’s voice, ensuring that commands have been repeated correctly, that the tiller is moved to the correct position and the recruit waits to ensure that the helm indicator matches the rudder angle indicator before advising, and that the recruit advises rudder position correctly. These are virtually scored, giving instructors a chance to sit down with recruits after the simulation and the specific mistakes that were made. The simulator gives recruits experience handling a vessel at a range of rudder posi-tions in a compressed period of time, enabling them to train in skills that would only normally come to bear infrequently or during a crisis.

All recruits must demonstrate a basic level of proficiency in fire-arms handling, firefighting and helmsman before graduating TRACEN Cape May. This ensures that they arrive at their first units able to safely perform tasks as they train further to qualify to perform them. As importantly, it exposes the recruit to the look and feel of a range of core work in the Coast Guard. Though their paths are somewhat laid as they enter the Coast Guard as seamen or firemen, non-rates are still servicemembers in flux, with the ability to change course if they feel passionate about a particular aspect of the service. Coast Guard members who are satisfied with their work perform better, and course corrections are best made early. A recruit set on aviation may decide to strike boatswain’s mate after a turn at the helm simulator. Time spent in the wet-room may make a damage controlman out of an intended machinery technician. By giving the recruit a near-to-real experience, simulation technology allows them to add experience to an understand-ing of job duties that were previously only words on paper.

Simulation technology isn’t perfect. Adjustment is still required for live fire situations, which involve higher recoil and louder gun noise than recruits will be used to. Real fires produce greater levels of heat and act with less predictability than simulated ones. An indoor helm simulator cannot give the feeling of a pitching deck or the challenge of hearing a conning officer’s commands over roaring engines and the noise of a busy bridge. However, the employment of simulation tech-nology is an important first step in preparing recruits for the jobs they’ll have out in the fleet—and helps keep safety first. O


Simulated training allows the Coast Guard to reduce costs in a variety of ways: The service can reduce the number of hard trainers they need to purchase, mitigate equipment wear and tear, and eliminate fuel consumption. “As budgets force people to rethink the way they do things, simulation is well-positioned to allow them to continue to operate at their high tempo and pump out the trained servicemembers that they need, but do it at a lower cost and faster,” Gabe Batstone, chief executive officer of Ngrain, a software simulation company, predicted. Live training is still important but can be reserved for critical tasks.

CSC’s VirtualShip is used to train Coast Guardsmen at facilities across the country, including TRACEN Yorktown, Va., Fort Eustis, Va., Mare Island, Calif., the Trident Training Facilities in Bangor, Wash., and Kings Bay, Ga. An advanced ship simulation software package, VirtualShip can be used for training in navigation, seamanship, anti-terrorist force protection, escort and transit protection, vessel defense and weap-ons, total ship, underway replenish-ment and boat operations. TRACEN Yorktown utilizes a Response Boat-Small (RB-S) simulator, which “can take a new recruit right out of basic and train him or her in more than boat handling—the student learns rules of the road, whistle signals—and the skill to do it in challenging conditions,” Ron

Peterman, director of Strategic Planning for CSC’s Advanced Maritime Center explained. Previously, the gun crew trained in a separate room, but the RB-S simulator integrates the Fire Arms Trainer which allows the gunner to train with the crew, further enhancing the realism of the training. The Trident Training Facilities in Bangor and Kings Bay have installed the Transit Protection Training System (TPTS) to facilitate their mission rehearsal of missile submarine escort. The demand for trainers is great, and in addition to having the VirtualShip installed at various Coast Guard facilities, CSC is working on taking the trainer on the road to reach reserve centers.

Only 18 miles from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, CAE’s C-130 Tampa Training Center is the largest commercial Hercu-les training center in the world and provides training to over 30

U.S. government, foreign militaries and commercial operators. With over 400 separate courseware modules employed, this customized approach is a hallmark of the center. “Each and every training course has been specifi-cally customized to the USCG aircraft configuration, operating and technical manuals, and approved procedures,” said Rich Paglialonga, manager of the C-130 Tampa Training Center for CAE USA. The center has three C-130 full-mission simulators, one part task

By MaUra Mccarthy, CGF editor

tiGhter BUdGetS and advanced technoLoGieS pave the way for increaSed SiMULated traininG.

Rich PaglialongaGabe Batstone

[email protected]


www.CGF-kmi.com6 | CGF 4.2



trainer (Flight Training Device, or FTD), 15 multimedia classrooms, an extensive courseware library, and a staff of highly qualified instructors. Full mission simulators conduct aircrew and maintenance training programs and feature “an integrated instructor operating station designed to allow control of the simulated environment, positions, intercommunications and an extensive set of malfunctions covering all aircraft systems,” explained Paglialonga. The part task trainer is a full-size mock up of the C-130 flight deck that is fully functional in all primary aircraft systems operations, indications and interdependencies and bridges academic instruction and simulator training in the areas of spatial orientation, crew coordination and logistical decision-making. To meet the changing needs of their customers, the center recently incorporated an Advanced Avionics (glass) C-130H full mission simula-tor into their training.

Pre-deployment workups require additional training to prepare servicemembers for activities perhaps outside their traditional roles or operating areas. Forward deployed cutters from Portsmouth, Va., practice navigation at Fort Eustis with the VirtualShip, which has over 107 harbors in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America in its database. “Granularity of harbors is 100 percent; it has all the aids to navigation in the harbor and the operator can manipulate conditions to make it day or night, adjust visibility, etc.,” Peterman noted. In April 2011, the Coast Guard’s Redeployment Assistance Inspection Detach-ment (RAID) team 13 was the first military unit to train with Lockheed Martin’s Reconfigurable Vehicle Tactical Trainer (RVTT) simulator at Fort Dix. RAID members were conducting pre-deployment training with the Army when they broke in the RVTT, a realistic convoy training tech-nology for drivers, gunners, communicators and decision-makers that immerses students in a 360-degree environment informed by detailed geographic databases. The simulators can be reconfigured, allowing flexibility for servicemembers to train on different variants of the high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle and the heavy expanded mobility tactical truck. “Additionally, the user community can utilize a library of different location databases and develop custom training scenarios. For example, they can choose from different location and various ‘entities’ (e.g., civilians, friendlies, enemy forces, different types of vehicles) to build a training scenario that works for their needs. That kind of agility is very useful to customers in a dynamic environment; when opera-tional conditions change, for instance, training can be rapidly adapted,” explained Jim Craig, vice president of operations for Lockheed Martin’s Global Training and Logistics. In support of the Coast Guard’s force-on-force training requirements, Lockheed Martin also developed the Seago-ing Wireless Interactive Target System (SeaWITS), which can be used to instrument weapons like the M240 and M2 50 caliber machine guns or the Mk 38 and Mk 51 chain guns. “With SeaWITS, crew aboard various boats and ships can ‘shoot’ at each other using eye safe lasers (versus live fire ammunition) for practice and receive detailed after action reports on how they did. This reinforces the lessons they’ve learned so they can apply them to future training scenarios and if necessary, real life,” Craig said.

As the Coast Guard recapitalizes its fleet, Coast Guardsmen must learn the intricacies of new vessels. With the national security cutters entering the fleet, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation designed a bridge identical to that of the NSC so that future crews could become profi-cient not only in the operation and use of bridge equipment, but also with the NSC’s capabilities across the spectrum of Coast Guard operat-ing environments and mission areas. “In the case of the national secu-rity cutter, Kongsberg worked closely with Lockheed Martin and Sperry Marine in order to combine the Kongsberg Polaris Simulator software

and Seaview visuals with the NSC’s real bridge equipment. In addition, this integration works with the Oasis Combat Information Center Training Simulator and can be used for executing integrated training exercises,” explained Mark A. McLeod, account executive for govern-ment programs at Kongsberg Maritime Simulation Inc. The crew of the Mackinaw, a Great Lakes icebreaker, also utilizes the onboard Polaris Simulator to enhance their navigation and seamanship skills. During the PRECOM period the system was set-up and operational at the shore facility but has now been moved on board where it is available for indi-vidual or bridge team training.

Simulated training allows Coast Guardsmen to acquire proficiency not only with new assets, but also with the technical procedures needed to sustain them. Ngrain provides 3-D simulation software and solutions for maintenance training and support and has worked with the Coast Guard since 2009 providing Virtual Task Trainer (VTT) solutions. At the Aviation Technical Training Center in Elizabeth City, the Coast Guard utilizes the VTT for the HC-144 Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft’s avionics, power train and hydraulic systems and has recently selected the VTT solutions to standardize the service’s maintenance training for the Honda VF 225 outboard engine. The VTT for the Honda is essen-tially a 3-D simulation enhanced piece of training content focused on technical training. “The Coast Guard wanted to reduce training time while at the same time expedite individual training qualifications—and they wanted to do it in a deployable environment. Statistics show that 70-90 percent of learning occurs outside of a formal environment, so it’s important that the service provide the right tool, and the right infor-mation at the right time—which is often not in the classroom. They looked to distributed learning as a way to do that,” explained Batstone. In addition to being used as a primary piece of course material to teach standard operating procedures of the engine in the classroom, the VTT can be used by a student for self-study. Ngrain’s approach is unique in that they will provide software solutions that the customer can modify and enhance on their own to meet changing needs or protocols. “The Coast Guard actually has about 15 seats of our software, primarily in Yorktown. They’re always responding to realities in the field and updat-ing operating procedures; this way they don’t have to go to a contractor to request a course update or procedural change on the VTT. They are actually able to do this themselves and that boils down to significant cost savings and sustainability,” said Batstone.

In the future, the service could move beyond technical training and into the operational support environment. For example, the Coast Guard could integrate VTTs into the fleet and use them as job aids where members are equipped with iPads or tablets while they are at sea and utilize them to see the procedure they are about to complete. To further increase the realism of simulation, the industry could also explore motion-based simulation, which is particularly important for gun crews on smaller boats. “You need to have the effect of your wake, especially when you start to integrate gun crews as your sight pattern changes if the boat leans over by 30 degrees,” noted Peterman. “The Coast Guard are some of the most visionary people when it comes to distributed learning and simulation, and I think that might be a func-tion of size. Bigger organizations have more people, money, etc., which can at times lead to less innovation. As the Coast Guard is a more lean organization, I’ve found they’ve really taken the time to think outside the box and push the limits of technology,” concluded Batstone. O


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First in Class

The Vessel at a GlanceOn Saturday, April 14, the Coast Guard commissioned the first-in-class

fast response cutter, the Bernard W. Webber, in Miami. Webber is the first of 18 planned FRCs to be delivered to the 7th district. The 154-foot Sentinel-class vessels will replace the 110-foot Island-class patrol boats that have exceeded their service life. In order to expedite construction and delivery of the vessels—aiming to have the assets hit the fleet as quickly as possible to replace the Island-class—the Coast Guard decided to model the cutter after a parent-craft design, the Damen Stan Patrol 4708.

The service plans to acquire up to 58 FRCs and currently has 12 under contract with Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, La., with options for up to 34 cutters. In late February the service exercised a $27.2 million contract option with Bollinger for the reprocurement and data license package, bringing the

Length: 154 feetBeam: 25 feet, 353 long tonsMaximum Sustained Speed: 28+ knotsEndurance: Five daysCrew: Two officers, 20 crewArmament: One stabilized, remotely oper-ated 25 mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine gunsService Life: 20 years


First in Class Stern launch and recovery system for NAID Short-Range Prosecutor 7.9 meter cutter boat

Variable pitch fixed-blade props

Two MTU 20-cylinder diesel engines for an output of 4,300kW

Berthing to accommodate 20 crew and 2 officers—men or women

Thales High-Frequency Automated Link Establishment (HF-ALE) radio communications system

L-3 C4ISR system is fully interoperable with both existing and future Coast Guard assets as well as with those from the DoD and DHS

Armament: one stabilized, remotely-operated Bushmaster 25mm chain gun and four non-stabilized crew-served .50 caliber machine guns

Quantum Stabilizers

Bow thruster delivers 75kW power to facilitate maneuverability in tight spaces

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total current contract value to $628 million. The FRC program benefits from a disciplined acquisition strategy and a stable pro-duction line. Contracts for the program are structured as a firm fixed-price contract with equitable price adjustment. Depending on funding, the Coast Guard anticipates accepting four or six vessels a year, which means hull-laying occurs in quick succes-sion: every 90 days in a fiscal year where there is funding for four ships and every eight weeks when awarded funding for six ships.

The first six FRCs will be homeported in Miami and the next six in Key West, Fla. Filling a critical patrol boat gap, the vessels will deploy independently to deliver vital capabilities to the service, conducting missions including port,

waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. The vessel’s area of operation will be along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. Additionally, the Sentinel-class will be capable of conducting all missions through sea state 4 at speeds up to transit speeds and to survive through sea state 6 at speeds up to loiter speed—both for up to eight hours on all headings. O


aLwayS StrivinG to eqUip coaSt GUardSMen with inforMation needed to reMain semper paratus, Coast Guard Forum’S focUS on edUcation wiLL heLp coaSt GUardSMen naviGate the next phaSe of their career.

Charting a New CourseCharting a New Course

CGF poSed the foLLowinG qUeStionS to fLorida State coLLeGe, aMerican MiLitary UniverSity and waLdorf coLLeGe:

Whether through emergency response or developing fire safety standards for commercial ships and recreational boats, Coast Guardsmen set the bar for fire safety. How can a degree in fire science equip Coast Guardsmen with the education needed to complement their experience and advance in rank or transition to a civilian career?

As one of the largest providers of academic programs to the U.S. Coast Guard, American Military University (AMU) offers a comprehensive blend of mission-relevant fire science courses

and 87 degree programs overall to those who serve, including more than 1,000 Coast Guardsmen seeking to enhance their careers. All our degree programs are tailor-made for those entrusted with protecting the public, our borders and security interests around the globe.

in the world of emergency operations, conditions change, as does the knowledge needed to lead the response. AMU’s fire science programs are designed to help Coast Guardsmen stay on top of current trends and learn new skills in such core areas as fire behavior and combustion, fire preven-tion, fire protection systems, fundamentals of fire protection, fire protection in building construction and fire protection hydraulics and water supply.

in addition to fire science, AMU’s emergency and disaster management (EdM) curriculum includes a variety of other certificates, undergraduate and graduate programs in disciplines such as homeland security, counterterror-ism studies, environmental sciences, policy and management, intelligence studies, criminal justice and public administration, and many others.

From the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe, our EdM program stresses a whole community approach, one of the core foundations of emergency management and President obama’s Presidential Policy direc-tive #8 on National Preparedness. the program of study prepares students for careers in emergency management, emergency planning and disaster

operations, as well as related public safety positions. in addition, we intro-duce our students to the all-hazards approach, emergency and disaster management phases, risk assessment, prevention and management, counterterrorism, consequence management, mitigation and recovery. our program is recognized through the Foundation for Higher Education in Emer-gency Management and Homeland Security. We are the first 100 percent online institution to receive this important distinction.

AMU’s associate and Bachelor of Science degrees in fire science man-agement offer students an opportunity to study the principles, theories and best practices in fire science, management, fire safety, leadership and crisis management. AMU adheres to the United States Fire Administration’s Fire & Emergency Services Higher Education model program, and our program also meets the academic requirements of the USFA’s Executive Fire officer Program.

our program faculty includes many real-world experts and industry leaders who combine relevant theory with real-world experience. our stu-dents quickly discover a tight-knit community of professors, staff and fellow students who are like-minded peers. in addition, AMU is part of American Public University System, which is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association and nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the distance Education and training Council. We are one of the few online institutions that are both regionally and nationally accredited by such federally recognized accrediting agencies.

Anthony Mangeri Manager, Fire & Emergency Services InitiativesAmerican Military University


one of the most popular online degrees at Waldorf is the bachelor’s degree in fire science administration. this degree program is a great

avenue for Coast Guardsmen to enhance their knowledge, skills and abili-ties to perform their duties in maritime safety, maritime security or maritime stewardship. More specifically, they will obtain resources to set the bar for fire safety, fire prevention and fire service leadership within their group.

it is the goal of Waldorf to provide a comprehensive online bachelor’s degree program that meets and exceeds the National Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education model. our program places special emphasis on management and leadership skills, organizational and professional com-munication, problem-solving and addressing challenges experienced across organizations.

As Waldorf online students, Coast Guardsmen identify and strategically apply their professional experiences as they learn and progress in the degree program. the program challenges students to build on their personal, group and organizational goals. the program’s assignments help students learn the skills to effectively transition from one level of responsibility to another. the Waldorf Fire Science Administration degree is recognized by the United States Fire Administration’s Executive Fire officer Program (EFoP). Students who complete the Waldorf program may apply for admission into the EFoP.

As students transition into a civilian career, the Waldorf program will enhance their ability to perform in a variety of roles, such as a fire department rescue technician, fire inspector, fire investigator, combat firefighter, fire and life safety educator and fire chief.

For Coast Guardsmen with full-time student status, the estimated time of program completion is four years. As our online program is designed to complement the needs of working professionals, Coast Guardsmen have the flexibility to accelerate or extend the length of the program, depending on the number of courses taken per term. Waldorf also features complimentary tutoring, textbooks provided at no cost through the Waldorf Book Grant and SAt or ACt scores are not required for admission.

For every 30 credit hours completed, one residency course is required. these three-day, tuition-free, residency courses feature engaging, hands-on learning experiences and networking opportunities with faculty and class-mates. the classes are presented in a classroom format at various locations throughout the nation.

Since 1903, Waldorf College has been providing quality education and leadership development to thousands. Based in Forest City, iowa, Waldorf is a dynamic, educational community with an outstanding performing arts department and growing athletic programs. Waldorf continues its tradition of excellence in its regionally accredited online degree programs. O

Steven BardwellInstructor Chief, Mississippi State Fire AcademyProgram Chair of Fire Science AdministrationWaldorf College

Admiral Papp in his 2011 Commandant’s direction states that the Coast Guard aims to grow leaders capable of making time-critical on-scene

decisions, often with life or death consequences. Further, his priorities include enhancing crisis response and management, noting that “every member is a first responder.” these very words could describe how we at Florida State Col-lege at Jacksonville (FSCJ) prepare modern fire science professionals.

Florida State College offers a two-year associate of science (AS) degree in fire science technology, a program of academic study that usefully comple-ments a Coast Guardsman’s acquired experience and practice. Critical think-ing skills, improved scientific understandings, and exposure to wide-ranging scenarios all prepare students to take on increasingly weighty responsibilities in public safety and security.

We embed the fire degree into a public safety family of programs—including criminal justice, emergency management and homeland security. Students can also earn a related credential of emergency administrator and manager as part of their fire studies. this integrative approach is because in real life, complex emergencies are tackled as an interagency, whole-of-government effort, with critical contributions from civil society. related, the AS in fire science technology leads seamlessly into a FSCJ bachelor’s degree

in public safety management. the trajectory for educational requirements in professions such as the fire service is upward, so keeping one’s options open for a baccalaureate program is wise.

Florida State College’s Fire curriculum follows the National Fire Acad-emy’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) model. Some institutions plan coursework to satisfy particular state-level regulations; however, we aim for our FESHE-inspired curriculum to be nationally portable. For mobile Coast Guardsmen who could settle anywhere, this portability is a big plus. We know that traditional modes of teaching do not always work for busy public safety and security practitioners. FSCJ puts as much coursework online as is pedagogically valid. For those students available to do some coursework here on campus, they would be adjacent to the college’s award-wining Fire Academy of the South. Class exercises, for example, in combus-tion, protection systems and hydraulics come alive at the academy. Lastly, FSCJ has an institutional track record of service to the military. over the last five years it consistently makes various lists of military-friendly schools. it is a member of the Servicemembers opportunity Colleges (SoC) and it is highly experienced in processing department of defense tuition assistance. Addi-tionally, we know the Coast Guard, having just trained one of your National Strikeforce teams. We hope to see you next.

James W. Stevenson Jr. Rear Admiral (Ret.) U.S. NavyVice President, Military, Public Safety and Security DivisionFlorida State College at Jacksonville


Coast Guard Lightship Nantucket RestoredFor 39 years, U.S. Coast Guard Lightship

Nantucket (LV-112) guided transatlantic shipping from Nantucket Shoals lightship station to and from the east coast and Europe—notably, in the most treacherous shipping lanes. LV-112 was the most remote lightship station in the world, 100 miles off the mainland, in international waters. Following decommissioning in 1975, LV-112 fell into disrepair after many years of abandonment.

With the help of Sherwin-Williams, the United States Lightship Museum (USLM), a 501(c)3 nonprofit volunteer organization, rescued the historic lightship. In addition, with the dedicated assistance of volunteers and donations from corpo-rations, private foundations and individuals, the USLM brought the ship back to her original home-port of Boston and is restoring it to be reopened to the general public as a floating learning center and museum.

Sherwin-Williams provided protective coatings to help restore the lightship. Originally built in 1936, the 75-year-old vessel has a riveted hull. Due to aging and neglect of the hull, the armored steel shell plating had visible areas of pitting from active corrosion caused by the seawater and electrolysis. “In addition to simply providing the coatings, Sherwin-Williams helped make the recommendations for how to prepare and coat the ship’s exterior hull surface, above and below the waterline,” said Narsi Bodapati, vice president of marketing, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings. “The coatings will not only protect the ship from future corrosion and fouling, but will also restore the ship’s beautiful appearance for visitors to enjoy for years to come.”

The coatings used include: SeaGuard 5000HS Epoxy, a high-performance, low VOC, high solids, anti-corrosive epoxy coating that will cover the lightship’s entire hull; SeaVoyage Ablative Antifoulant, a solvent-based, copper- and tin-free ablative coating that deters soft and hard fouling; and Proline 4800, a linear polyurethane finish coat to match the specific red color that is standard on U.S. Coast Guard lightships (Federal Standard 595B color #11105). Proline 4800 in white was also used for the lettering.

“Sherwin-Williams’ support was crucial to our success in preserving one of America’s most unique historic landmarks,” said Robert Mannino, Jr., president, United States Lightship Museum. “LV-112 symbolizes the courage and tenacity of those who served on the ship, through life-threatening danger and the horrific weather it encountered at sea. Nantucket/LV-112 is an icon for endurance and an example of the high-quality, state-of-the-art construction and craftsmanship that I believe is compatible with Sherwin-Williams products. “

Between 1820 and 1952, 179 U.S. lightships were built. At one time, 51 lightships were stationed at various locations on the East and West Coasts and Great Lakes of the United States. Today, only 17 lightships still exist. Nine of these lightships are currently public museums. Nantucket/LV-112 is the only lightship museum in New England. LV-112, which had been dry-docked at Fitzgerald Shipyard in Chelsea, Mass., for the exterior hull restoration, returned to its berth at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina in East Boston on February 21.

State of the Art Simulation Center

Opens

Resolve Maritime Academy opened its new Simulation Training Center on March 12 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., facility adjacent to Port Everglades. The state of the art, 7,000-square-foot facility will provide leading edge simulation-based training programs to enhance safe navigation at sea for cruise line and commercial shipping personnel and other maritime professionals worldwide. The academy designed and developed the $6.5 million Simulation Training Center, which features a Class A Full Mission Bridge Simulator with fully functional attached Bridge Wing with independent visual system, Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) Classroom and Navigation Lab with a suite of advanced “mini” bridges. The academy’s unique curriculum utilizes state-of-the-art simulation technology and will initially include: Ship Handling; Bridge Resource Management; Operational Use of ECDIS; and Radar/Automatic Radar Planning Aids programs. Customized programs also will be offered, including: Integrated Bridge Systems (Sperry VisionMaster and NACOS Platinum); Dynamic Positioning Systems; and Communication and Leadership Development for all ranks and employees. Future plans include an Engine Room Simulator for operational and Engine Resource Management training.

The academy developed simulators and training programs specifically for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL). In April 2012, the new programs were offered to personnel of three of RCL’s cruise brands—Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. Academy Director Denise Johnston said, “Our new Simulation Training Center greatly expands the training opportunities for shipboard personnel worldwide. In addition to standard bridge and engine room simulation courses, we will also offer training programs incorporating the use of bridge and engine room simulators with our Gray Manatee shipboard fire fighting training vessel/facility as well as Fast Rescue Boat and Hazwoper courses. Our first priority at the academy has always been to improve safety at sea, and these new programs will improve competencies and help build teamwork attitudes and behaviors in a dynamic, real-time environment. This new generation of highly effective training will result in safer naviga-tion in all sectors of the maritime industry, greater safety for vessel passengers and cargoes, and better protection of the marine environment.”

Coast Guard Exercises Contract Option for FRC

The Coast Guard exercised a $27.2 million contract option with Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, La., for the Reprocurement and Data License Package (RDLP) for the Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC). This option award brings the total current contract value to $628 million. The current contract includes production of twelve FRCs.

The RDLP will provide the Coast Guard with all of the required design data, drawings, mate-rials list, and technical and testing information necessary to complete the follow-on FRC produc-tion contract as part of a planned second produc-tion phase. The RDLP will reflect the FRC design

maturity as of February 23, 2012, including modifications made to the original design prior to the February 10, 2012, delivery of the lead hull, Bernard C. Webber. The second production phase contract for the FRC class is scheduled to be awarded in fiscal year 2015 and will include options to complete the fleet of 58 planned cutters.

The current FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters and is worth up to $1.5 billion if all options are exercised. Bernard C. Webber was commissioned into service in Miami, where the first six FRCs were homeported on April 14, 2012. The second, third and fourth FRCs are scheduled for delivery in 2012.


ON THE HORIZON

The Maritime Environmental Protection Committee of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has granted Siemens final approval for its Sicure ballast water management system. The final approval is based on a directive issued by the IMO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, which requires all deep-sea vessels to operate IMO-approved ballast water management systems. The objective is to avoid the spread of alien aquatic organisms and pathogens carried in untreated ballast water. The IMO directive will come into force in the near future and will entail retrofitting approximately 50,000 sea-going vessels worldwide.

For its Sicure system, the Siemens Industry Automation Division received basic approval back in 2010, as the first leg of a two-tier certification process by the IMO. By granting final approval, the IMO confirms the new Siemens ballast water management system’s environmental compatibility and compliance with the safety standards. The Sicure system is a further develop-ment of the Chloropac system, which has seen 35 years

of successful ship-board use for treating seawater cooling circuits. The electrolytic system produces hypochlorite from the salt contained in seawater.

The Sicure system consists of a filtration stage followed by electrochlorination and a dosing unit which precisely meters the addition of hypochlorite. Electrochlorination occurs in a sidestream of the ballast water main. Only about one percent of the ballast water to be treated is carried through the system’s electrolysis cells. This makes for small system components which are easily integrated into existing vessels. Another key advantage of the Sicure system lies in the fact that it is not only used for treating ballast water but also for treating cooling water circuits on board. Since ballasting occurs only during very short periods in a ship’s lifetime, conventional ballast water systems remain idle 95 percent of the time. By contrast, the Sicure system can be used all the time, eliminating the need for an additional system for treating cooling water. The Siemens system is particularly suited for vessels above a gross tonnage of 35,000.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $76 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for a sixth national security cutter (NSC). Construction and delivery of the yet-to-be-named WMSL 755 will be performed at the company’s Pascagoula facility. A second phase of the contract, when awarded, would bring the overall value to $88 million.

“This award demonstrates the Coast Guard’s ongoing commitment to the national security cutter program and continued confidence in our shipbuilders,” said Mike Duthu, Ingalls’ program manager, Coast Guard programs. “This procurement contract enables us to focus on effective and efficient supply chain manage-ment so we can secure the best price for equipment and materials, while also meeting our schedule commitments with our U.S. Coast Guard customer.” The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major items for WMSL 755, including steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.

Ingalls has delivered the first three NSCs, the flagship of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, which entered service during the 1960s. The first two ships are performing missions for the Coast Guard, while the third ship, Stratton (WMSL 752), was

commissioned on March 31 in Alameda, Calif. The fourth NSC, also named Hamilton (WMSL 753), is currently under construction, and the fifth, Joshua James (WMSL 754), will start fabrication later this year.

Ingalls builds the NSC hulls and mechanical and electrical systems, while Lockheed Martin builds and integrates the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110.

The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary-wing aircraft. It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. This class of cutters plays an important role in enhancing the Coast Guard’s operational readiness, capacity and effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never been greater.

MPA Fleet Expands

The U.S. Coast Guard has exercised a $78.5 million contract option to purchase the service’s 16th and 17th HC-144A Ocean Sentry Maritime Patrol Aircraft from prime contractor EADS North America. The HC-144A is based on the Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter. More than 250 CN235 aircraft are currently being operated by 27 countries. The option is part of a contract awarded to EADS North America in August 2010 for three aircraft, plus options for up to six additional aircraft.

“The HC-144A is central to the Coast Guard’s ability to execute its increasingly demanding mission, and we’re proud to continue to deliver this critical capability on time and on cost,” said Sean O’Keefe, EADS North America Chairman and CEO. Under this contract, EADS North America has already delivered two HC-144As, the 12th and 13th for the service—both delivered on budget and ahead of schedule. The 14th aircraft is due for delivery by July.

The Coast Guard exercised the first option on the contract for the 15th HC-144A in August 2011, with delivery expected in 2013. The 16th and 17th aircraft will be delivered in 2014. The remaining options left on the contract, for up to three additional aircraft, can be exercised sometime in the next two years. Coast Guard plans call for acquiring a total of 36 HC-144As.

With the ability to remain airborne for more than 10 hours, the Ocean Sentry is performing a wide range of missions for the Coast Guard, including maritime patrol, drug and migrant interdiction, disaster response, and search and rescue. The HC-144A achieved initial operational capability with the Coast Guard in 2008, and today is fully operational from Coast Guard air stations in Mobile, Ala., and Miami, Fla.

EADS North America delivers the HC-144A equipped with a search radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, an Automatic Identification System for data collection from vessels at sea, and a communications suite. The Ocean Sentry’s rear cargo ramp enables easy loading and unloading of the Coast Guard’s palletized mission system. The mission system can be removed for airlift, cargo, and MEDEVAC missions, freeing up the large cabin for addi-tional transport capacity. The rear ramp can be opened in flight to deploy search-and-rescue equipment.

Long-Lead Time Materials Awarded for Sixth NSC

IMO Grants Final Approval for Ballast Water System


Compiled by KMi Media Group staff

Rear Admiral Richard T. Gromlich assumed the duties of the Coast Guard’s first director of Operational Logistics (DOL), where he is responsible for the delivery of mission support logistics for Coast Guard operations during steady state and contingency response and for planned events of national significance. He will oversee bases across the United States, establish an operations support planning capability and build a mission support compliance capability.

Gromlich reported aboard in April 2011 from Coast Guard Head-quarters where he served as the first director of the Mission Support Integration Office (DCMS-5.) He was responsible for contingency and operational logistics integration, business transformation, continuous process improvement, and strategic planning efforts across the 17,000 member Coast Guard Mission Support Organiza-tion. During his two-year tenure, Gromlich led contingency logistics operations in support of the Coast Guard’s response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

As chief of the Office of Logistics (CG-44) and director of the Logistics Transformation Program Integration Office (LTPIO), from 2007 to 2009 he played a critical role in the preliminary design and integration plans associated with the establishment of five new Logistics and Service Centers and led an enterprisewide logistics transformation project aimed at delivering more efficient, effective and standardized support to the operational community. These efforts have substantially increased the Coast Guard’s operational readiness both day-to-day and during major contingency opera-tions, enhancing the service’s ability to rapidly adapt to respond to major events.

Gromlich reported to Coast Guard Headquarters from the Coast Guard Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (ARSC), now the Aviation Logistics Center, in Elizabeth City, N.C., where he was commanding officer from 2004 to 2007. In that capacity, he was responsible for the sole industrial complex for the Coast Guard’s 200 aircraft sup-porting all 26 aviation units during Hurricane Katrina.

Gromlich’s previous tours of duty include executive officer of Air Station Cape Cod, Mass.—the third largest physical plant and responsible for waters from New Jersey to the Canadian border—and aeronautical engineering officer at Air Station Savannah, Ga., which averages 250 search and rescue cases each year. He also served as the inventory manager; chief of the Logistics Support

Branch; chief of the Engineering and Industrial Support Division at ARSC; and a tour of duty afloat as a deck watch officer aboard the 180-foot tender USCGC Papaw in Charleston, S.C.

In 1986, he completed Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, Fla., and completed tours of duty at Air Station San Diego, Air Station North Bend, Air Station Savannah, Air Station Cape Cod and the ARSC. During this time he flew more than 3,600 flight hours and attained qualifications as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the HH-65A/B and as an aircraft commander in the HH-60J.

A native of Milton, Pa., Gromlich graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineer-ing. In 1997, he earned a Master of Science in industrial adminis-tration from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit (two awards), three Meritorious Service Medals, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and two Commandant Letters of Commendation.

Q: Prior to coming aboard as director of Operational Logistics [DOL] you served as the director of the Mission Support Integra-tion Office. How did that position and your other past commands help prepare you for your current one?

Delivering Integrated Mission Support

Operations Enabler

Rear Admiral Richard T. GromlichDirector of Operational Logistics

Q&AQ&A


A: I have truly been blessed throughout my 29-year career. I really feel that every assignment has helped to prepare me for what was to come, and I have been fortunate to serve both in the operational and support communities. As a helicopter pilot and aeronautical engineer, I have been on the receiving end of our mission support services and have seen what has worked and what hasn’t. I had the pleasure of serving for eight years during two separate tours at our Aviation Depot in Elizabeth City, N.C., now known as our Aviation Logistics Center, where we were responsible for all support for more than 200 aircraft in our inventory. I saw how important it was for the support community to understand what our operational partners did on a daily basis, what their needs were, and how vital it was for the support community to feel a sense of ownership for completing the operational mission. As the director of the Mission Support Integration Office, and even before that as the chief of the Office of Logistics, I was able to compare my aviation support experiences to the way we provided sup-port across the rest of the Coast Guard. We identified best business practices that we could export throughout the service and worked hard to standardize our business processes where it made sense to do so. The first part of our mission support modernization efforts focused on bringing all of mission support under the command of one individual, now called the deputy commandant for Mission Support, and standing up Logistics and Service Centers to vertically align the delivery of our support services. Our Logistics and Service Centers have done a fantastic job of improving support delivery to the field! We also worked on improving our capability and capacity to support Coast Guard contingency response. While our responses to events such as the tragic earthquake in Haiti and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill were exceptional, we quickly realized that the tactical oversight of our support efforts was being managed from Coast Guard head-quarters in Washington, D.C.— definitely not the right place for that to occur. The decision was made to push the tactical/operational logis-tics out of headquarters and closer to the operational commanders in the field. Thus, we created the director of Operational Logistics. This is an incredibly exciting time for our mission support organization and I couldn’t be prouder of the entire team!

Q: As director of one of the newest Coast Guard entities, could you talk about your command, specifically its organizational structure, its size, your specific role and perhaps where you see the command in the future?

A: The director of Operational Logistics, created as part of the Coast Guard’s modernization effort, will greatly assist in the alignment of operational logistics to mission execution. Our mission is to ensure timely delivery of effective and integrated mission support during both steady state and contingency opera-tions. Our vision is to enable operations by delivering effec-tive, tailored and integrated mission support anytime, anywhere. We accomplish this through two divisions: DOL-3 Office of Base Operations, which provides command, control and opera-tional coordination of bases, ensures each base executes their requisite mission sets while it provides regional support to all Coast Guard units in its AOR, and provides local support to co-located units; and DOL-4 Office of Contingency and Deployable Logistics, which provides an around-the-clock DCMS Watch Desk together with informed and regular involvement in both logistics contin-gency planning and logistics operations planning at the area and

national levels. The DOL also partners with federal, state and private sector stakeholders to ensure an interdependent approach to mari-time logistics support.

Q: In your previous command you were the first director of the Mission Support Integration Office and now you serve as the first director of Operational Logistics. From a director’s standpoint, what are some of the challenges and opportunities when heading up a new organization?

A: The challenges are many, but the opportunities for success far out-weigh the challenges. When standing up a new organization, one of the most important elements of the implementation is the communi-cation to our personnel—we learned early on that you can’t commu-nicate enough and we attempted to identify creative methods to reach our entire workforce. It was imperative the message be loud, clear and consistent. In addition to communications, another important piece in heading up a new organization is obtaining the trust of those you support. It isn’t unusual for folks to think that they have to “own” the logistics personnel and processes in order to have what they need when they need it. We are working hard each day to gain the trust of those whom we support, to show them we have true mission sup-port professionals throughout our organization who are capable and very willing to provide the support required to meet the mission. We faced many other challenges—managing a geographically distributed workforce, breaking down cultural barriers [this is the way we’ve always done things], understanding the role of technical authorities, and working in a truly matrixed environment. But as I said, with these challenges come opportunities and I am confident that we are having a positive impact by increasing operational readiness during our normal day-to-day operations and, particularly, during major contingencies. Our response to the disaster in Haiti as well as to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill showed that our product line structure works, central management of resources increases accountability and our ability to adapt rapidly to respond to major events has increased.

Q: The Coast Guard has undergone some significant organizational changes in the past few years. Could you explain the Mission Sup-port Business Model and how Mission Support 2.0 has impacted the service?

A: The Mission Support Business Model sets a framework to deliver sustained and consistent mission support for our operational partners. The business model is based on four cornerstones of Mission Support: bi-level maintenance, total asset visibility, configuration management and single point of accountability through product line management. Our Mission Support modernization efforts have significantly and positively impacted the service and we are beginning to see institu-tional change, especially at the field level. One of our priorities has been the establishment of bases throughout the Coast Guard to fully integrate the delivery of our mission support services in the field, while ensuring the technical authority of our Logistics and Service Center product line managers is not compromised. To date we have established our 13 Phase I bases. Under our standard base construct we will provide predictable service delivery that is easily understood and transparent to our operational partners. The base commanding officer’s line of authority will be separate and distinct from product and service line managers. In general, operational commanders will receive logistics and support services using the same product line


processes that are in place today, but they will have additional avenues to access those services, and those services will be better integrated at the point of delivery. By establishing bases, we provide a single point of contact to access and coordinate the wide variety of services provided by the mission support organization. Our staff is laying the foundation to solidify designs for compliance programs and establish-ing strategies to provide appropriate oversight of our bases. We have developed and promulgated business rules [CONOPS] to support a matrixed environment where the command authority of the base commanding officer can co-exist with the technical authority of the product and service lines. These business rules will be codified in a base organization manual and will cover issues such as personnel evaluations, contracting authorities, military justice, collateral duties, awards, routine and contingency work assignments, and others. Our DCMS infrastructure has set the stage for enhanced support capabili-ties delivering effective mission support to our operators.

Q: How will the standing up of new bases nationwide advance the commandant’s goal of steadying the service?

A: Our service has undergone a tremendous amount of change over the past five years or so and the commandant rightfully wants to allow things to steady out, to steady the course. We all know that change is hard and it does take a toll on our workforce. Our base stand-ups do help to steady the service, particularly at the deck plate or waterfront level, by identifying the base commanding officer as the individual accountable and responsible for providing integrated sup-port in a particular region. Prior to the stand-up of our bases, there were different points of contact depending on the support required. The operational commander should no longer question who to go to for support. With that said, steadying the service does not mean we come to all stop. We must continually look for more efficient and effective ways to deliver our support services. I’m confident our current mission support organizational construct will allow us to do just that.

Q: What is the status of new bases and plans for future ones?

A: We recently completed the stand up of 13 bases—Seattle, Miami Beach, Portsmouth, Elizabeth City, Honolulu, Cleveland, New Orleans (with base detachment St. Louis), Alameda, Long Angeles/Long Beach, National Capital Region, Boston, Ketchikan, and Kodiak—and continue to build upon lessons learned along the way. As we look ahead, we’ll continue to seek opportunities to gain efficiencies and integrate our mission support organization. We are studying potential additional base locations in concert with Atlantic Area, Pacific Area and field commands. The goal is to identify locations where there is a large mission support footprint and where the operational commanders are currently devoting a significant portion of their time to support related activities. If it makes sense, we want to allow mission support professionals to deal with mission support and allow the operational commander to fully focus on mission execution.

Q: How do you see budget cuts affecting your ability to support steady state operations?

A: Budget cuts will indeed provide challenges for us in support-ing future Coast Guard operations. As I stated earlier, we must

continually look for more efficient ways of delivering those ser-vices. Our modernization efforts within the deputy commandant for Mission Support organization have better positioned us to truly understand the costs of doing business and allowed us to better partner with our operational commanders as we make difficult decisions in the future. We will also continue to work closely to develop partnerships with our DoD and interagency partners to identify common support services and look for opportunities to leverage each others’ capabilities.

Q: The Coast Guard is known for its flexibility and speed of response, perhaps most prominently in the service’s response to the Deepwater Horizon incident. On the mission support side, how does the Coast Guard plan for the unknown?

A: We truly have learned a lot, starting with the Coast Guard’s response to the earthquake in Haiti shortly after the stand up of our Logistics and Service Centers and then during our response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The DOL is now an integral part of the planning process for Coast Guard contingency opera-tions, working closely with our area and district planning offices to ensure logistics requirements are indentified and considered in all response plans. Over the past two years, my contingency planners have diligently worked with our operational planners to ensure adequate logistics planning for COCOM OPLANs, support for future Arctic operations and response to international offshore drilling.

Q: What roles do partnerships—whether they are with other DHS components, federal agencies or private enterprise—play in contingency planning?

A: Partnerships play a major role in contingency planning, par-ticularly in future budget constrained environments. We work on a regular basis with our FEMA, CBP, ICE, USAID and DoD counterparts, participating in exercises such as NLE and establish-ing agreements for future contingency responses. We also send our personnel to Interagency Logistics and DoD Joint Logistics courses and provide instructors who brief on Coast Guard capabili-ties. We learn more each day about the capabilities of our inter-agency partners and continue to develop the relationships that will ensure our ability to work together effectively and efficiently during future contingency response efforts.

Q: Do you have any closing thoughts concerning operational logistics or the Coast Guardsmen you manage?

A: I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to work on a daily basis with such an incredibly talented, motivated and dedicated group of individuals—they are in fact true mission support professionals! Budget uncertainties and aging assets will make our job all the more challenging, but I am encouraged as I visit our units around the country by the enthusiasm displayed and the desire to do what-ever is required to ensure we are able to execute our mission. We have made tremendous progress during our modernization efforts and our service is better prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead. The DOL and our bases stand ready to provide unparalleled support to our operational partners, during normal day-to-day or contingency operations—they can count on it! O


Unlike federal agencies that consume energy mostly in fixed infrastructure, the Coast Guard’s largest energy consumers are vehicles like vessels and aircraft, noted Sam Alvord of the Office of Energy Management. Energy density has already been reduced in the Coast Guard’s shore infrastructure. “Our next focus is to reduce energy usage throughout our cutter fleet, whether underway or in port,” Alvord said. The service recently embarked on a series of energy audits of vessels. “We are in the formative stages of under-standing where energy is being primarily consumed.”

On February 1, the Coast Guard met with stakeholders to pro-duce a preliminary list of possible economizing actions. Future lists could include energy-saving actions ranging from altered operating procedures to equipment modifications. Alvord hopes by the end of 2012 to have a final list of energy-saving actions that meet cost-ben-efit criteria. He noted that some engine interventions can also save maintenance costs, adding to financial savings. On the other hand, improvements must be assessed by specific ship, because remaining years of service affect returns on investment.

A promising energy measure on vessels is upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning. These savings on vessel hotel load reap gains according to whether a vessel is operated in Alaska or in a hot, humid environment, and whether it is in port or underway. To assess behavioral or operating changes, the Coast Guard needs an energy dashboard and is collaborating with the Navy and Military Sealift Command as they investigate dashboard concepts. The Coast Guard may parallel certain aspects of the Navy’s Great Green Fleet effort, “but we face unique geographical challenges, like Arctic oper-ations, that may necessitate slightly different approaches to energy

management,” Alvord explained.In the service’s acquisition

of new ships, fuel efficiency is an important element of ship design—even if not explicit in require-ments. Commander Erich Bauer, offshore patrol cutter (OPC) ship design manager, noted that “meet-ing endurance range requirements more efficiently requires a smaller fuel load on the ship, which leads to a ship with lower displacement. A lighter ship requires less propulsion power to meet high-speed requirements, leading to less powerful propulsion engines. There-fore, having an efficient plant decreases acquisition costs, a key ele-ment in design selection, as well as sustainment cost.”

Ships’ propulsion systems have historically been optimized for high-speed requirements, resulting in poor performance at low speeds. “Large engines on legacy cutters, which do not have sequential turbo-charging, are not as efficient at low loads,” Bauer explained. In contrast with legacy cutters, the OPC will include requirements for continuous low-speed operation; Bauer said bid-ders have the flexibility to meet OPC requirements with a variety of configurations involving diesel engines and motors. One configura-tion is a father-son arrangement of two sets of diesel engines, with smaller ones sized for low speeds; another possibility combines larger diesel engines sized for high and medium speeds with an electric motor sized for low speeds.

the coaSt GUard iS workinG to identify enerGy-SavinG actionS acroSS the fLeet.

By henry canaday

cGf correSpondent

Erich Bauer

CGF 4.2 | 17 www.CGF-kmi.com

An additional expected OPC improvement is the use of more sen-sors and monitoring systems to give operators increased intelligence on engine performance and energy consumption; these capabilities have been lacking on legacy ships due to age and vintage. “When you build a new ship, you get the state-of-market, and this now means we will get these systems,” Bauer explained.

State-of-Market technoLoGieS

Wärtsilä makes medium-speed engines of up to 1,000 revolutions per minute that have the best fuel efficiency in this class, said Simon Riddle, general manager for naval business. Higher RPMs burn more fuel and use up parts faster. For example, Wärtsilä’s 26-bore engine burns 183 grams of fuel per kilowatt hour, versus other makes’ 220 grams for high-speed engines. “We also have a strong program in natural gas engines, including LNG [liquefied natural gas] engines for a non-U.S. Coast Guard OPV [offshore patrol vessel].”

Wärtsilä designs ships as well and makes the entire propulsion sys-tem, including engine, shaft, automation, gear box and propellers. The company has done this for many Navy and Coast Guard patrol vessels abroad. “We can do a whole turnkey package for engine and propulsion systems. We have been doing this for almost 10 years with in-house products,” Riddle said. Turnkey integration eliminates risks inherent in component interfaces, Riddle argued. “In propulsion, 60 percent of cost is the engine, but 80 percent of risk is the propulsion train because it is tailor-made for the specification installation, hull and mission pro-file.” Wärtsilä offers either complete propulsion packages or individual components if requested.

The company is working on a number of environmental and fuel-efficiency projects, some of which might apply to U.S. Coast Guard requirements. For example, to meet new marine mission regulations, Wärtsilä is working on dry low nitrogen oxide (NOx) optimization, Miller timing with 2-stage turbo-charging, water addition and selective catalytic reactors. To reduce bilge-oil dumping, they have developed new seals, water-lubricated bearings and bilge-treatment technologies. Its Senitect M treatment system needs no pre-system, is not sensitive to soot or chemicals and works for 0-to-100 percent oil content at both high and low temperatures. For fuel efficiency on offshore ves-sels, Wärtsilä has a wide variety of solutions. These include propeller nozzles and reverse thrusters, optimizing the hull length-and-fullness ratio, advanced blade sections for propellers, optimizing the interac-tion between propeller and hull, variable speed operation, combining diesel-electric and diesel-mechanical machinery, power management and optimization for partial loads. The company is currently working with the U.S. Navy on the littoral combat ship and is interested in the Coast Guard’s OPC.

Siemens Industry has been working on its new Blue Drive Plus C technology for 10 years, said Commercial Marine development manager Luke Briant. “It’s a variable-speed diesel and we have built two boats in Europe,” Briant explained. Siemens considered a dual LNG-diesel engine but found LNG infrastructure was unavailable and too expensive to build.

Tests of Blue Drive Plus C on an offshore vessel yielded less NOx and greenhouse gases than diesel or gas operation. Compared with dual-fuel offshore vessels with the same operating profile, greenhouse gas emis-sions decrease by up to 27 percent. The new power-plant reduces total energy consumption by up to 15 percent

and cuts maintenance costs, compared with current diesel-electric systems. Compared with gas or dual-fuel operation, the energy savings are 23 percent. Briant noted there are no limits on NOx or sulfur oxide (SOx) currently, but he predicts there will be. “In the future, we will have to cut these along with methane and CO2 [carbon dioxide].”

Blue Drive Plus C does not require space for LNG or dual-fuel tanks, freeing up room for cargo or mission purposes. Additionally, Siemens has eliminated equipment such as the transformer, reducing footprint and weight by 30 percent. “Power management and fault protection are integrated into the vessel,” Briant explained. Moreover, Blue Drive Plus C uses “the best batteries on planet, they last 20 years and have 98 to 99 percent charge rate.”

Siemens is working with the U.S Navy to develop a hybrid tug that can loiter on battery power and like Wärtsilä, is interested in the OPC. In the past, Siemens has sold to the U.S. military though prime con-tractors, but the firm would like to do more direct business with the Navy and Coast Guard.

“The OPC is on everyone’s mind,” said Fairbanks Morse Engine Marketing manager Luke Fredrickson. “We are very convinced we will have the best solution for this ship’s propulsion system.” It is difficult to detail a solution until the Coast Guard defines OPC requirements, but Fredrickson noted that “We have guesses and ideas.” The firm recently hired the former chief of Naval Engineering at the Coast Guard as its vice president for Washington operations. Fredrickson pointed to the Navy’s USS Makin Island (LHD 8) as a “great ship” on which a hybrid-electric drive system uses six Fairbanks Morse Colt-Pielstick PA6B engine generator sets to save substantial fuel. “It is now a model for larger Navy ships, but I don’t know if that will apply to the Coast Guard.”

For future operations at low speed and low load ranges, it is impera-tive to improve fuel efficiency and integrate with more efficient propul-

sion systems like hybrid-electric drives. “As the price point for diesel-electric drops and motor and control technologies advance, more platforms will move in this direction,” Fredrickson explained. The benefits include versatility, more efficient operation of diesel engines and integration of propulsion engines with ship service diesel generators. Fairbanks Morse is also committed to reducing emissions on existing Coast Guard vessels, on which it has chiefly the Opposed Piston (OP) and FM/ALCO 251 F engines. Working with the Coast Guard for over half a century, the company’s engines power the majority of the service’s large ships. Fredrickson said

Foss Maritime and AKA’s XeroPoint Switchboard between two engines. [Photo courtesy of AKA]

Paul Jamer


improvements in existing engines may involve new sensors and fuel sys-tems. “There is also big emphasis in the Navy on moving to alternative fuels, and this could benefit the Coast Guard as well.” Fairbanks Morse is also conducting research and development on alternative fuels.

Foss Maritime and Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA) have patented xeropoint, a new hybrid propulsion and energy management system that significantly reduces fuel consumption, emissions and mainte-nance. The technology draws energy from different sources to optimize operations across a wide range of loads, but without the cost or foot-print of a diesel-electric installation. “It’s like a Prius, not full diesel,” summarized Paul Jamer, vice president of corporate development at AKA. The system has been installed on three tugs whose 5,000-horse-power engines usually need only 15 HP. “Diesel engines are most effi-cient above 60 percent of design capacity,” Jamer noted. “At 10 percent they can use twice as much fuel.” The Foss-AKA system selects power from batteries, generators and engines according to loads, which may be light in loitering or transit but heavy as the tug assists ship move-ments. “We are matching power needs to sources,” explained Foss’s Susan Haymann.

The value of the system depends on operating profile and duty cycle, but it can work with any power source—diesel or gas turbine—from any manufacturer. A California Air Resources Board study found the system reduced fuel and CO2 by 27 percent, NOx by 51 percent and particulates by 73 percent. Upfront costs are roughly $1 million for equipment and $500,000 for shipyard costs. The system has been proven in 3,000 ship assists and 2,000 barge moves.

The MTU Series 1163 has been one of the most widely used engines in naval shipping since the 1980s, noted Christoph Fenske, senior man-ager of the Application Center Marine for Naval Surface Craft. MTU is developing future versions that maintain reliability, high-power density and rapid acceleration but use less fuel and meet increasingly tough environmental limits such as those for NOx. MTU is modernizing fuel injection, combustion processes and electronic engine management. Improved fuel injection will use an electronically controlled common-rail system that lowers fuel consumption, NOx and soot emission levels but yields more responsive acceleration. Maximum combustion pres-sure will be raised, also lowering fuel consumption. The latest Advanced Diesel Engine Control engine management module will control injec-tion timing and volume independently of engine speed. New engines will also feature the Miller combustion process. Twelve, 16 and 20-cylin-der versions can be selected according to customer requirements, and MTU offers all necessary products, diesel engines, gas turbines, power generators and automation systems, from one source. Fenske said the new 1163s will be particularly strong in low or medium power opera-tion, with fuel consumption especially low. The service’s fast response cutter, or the Sentinel-class patrol boat, is powered by two 20-cylinder MTU engines, capable of putting out 4,300kW of power to achieve a flank speed of 28 knots. O



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Responsibly Rebuild the Coast Guard

The Coast Guard’s proposed fiscal year 2013 budget includes investment in new assets that are critical to ensure the Coast Guard remains capable of carrying out its missions today and well into the future. Accordingly, the Coast Guard’s FY13 budget priorities are to:

• Responsibly rebuild the Coast Guard• Efficiently preserve front-line operations• Strengthen resource and operational stewardship• Prepare for the future

Surface Assets $879.5M (0 FTE)

the budget provides $879.5 million for surface assets, including the following recapitalization and sustainment initiatives:

• National Security Cutter (NSC)–Funds the sixth NSC; NSCs will replace the aging fleet of high endurance cutters. the acquisition of NSC 6 is vital for performing dHS missions in the far off-shore regions, including the harsh operating environment of the Pacific ocean and Bering Sea, as well as providing for robust homeland security contingency response.

• Fast response Cutter (FrC)–Funds to procure FrCs #19-20. these assets replace the aging fleet of 110-foot patrol boats and provide the coastal capability to conduct search and rescue operations, enforce border security, interdict drugs, uphold immigration laws, prevent terrorism and ensure resiliency to disasters. Hulls 17-20 will be procured in FY13 using FY12 and FY13 funds, maintaining FrC production at the current rate.

• offshore Patrol Cutter (oPC)–Continues initial acquisition work and design of the oPC. the oPC will replace the medium endurance cutter class to conduct missions on the high-seas and coastal approaches.

• Medium Endurance Cutter (MEC)–Completes the mission effectiveness program for the 270-foot MECs at the Coast Guard Yard.

• Survey and design–initiates survey and design work for a mid-life availability on the 175-foot coastal buoy tender class.

Air Assets $74.5M (0 FTE)

the budget provides $74.5 million for the following air asset recapitalization or enhancement initiatives:

• HC-144–Funds production of the 18th HC-144A Maritime Patrol Aircraft. the HC-144A fleet will provide enhanced maritime surveillance and medium airlift capability over the legacy HU-25 aircraft that they replace. the HU-25s will all be removed from service by the end of their planned service life in FY14.

• HH-65–Funds sustainment of key components.• the FY13 budget provides funding to procure one HC-144A

Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and deliver and place in full operational status three MPAS at Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod to replace the HU-25 Falcon fleet.

Asset Recapitalization-Other $76.5M (0 FTE)

the budget provides $76.5 million for asset recapitalization, including the following equipment and services:

• Command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4iSr)–deploys standardized C4iSr capability to newly fielded NSCs, C-130s and MPAs and develops C4iSr capability for other new assets.

• CG-Logistics information Management System–Continues development and prototype deployment to Coast Guard operational assets and support facilities.

• Nationwide Automatic identification System (NAiS)–Continues recapitalizing the existing interim NAiS system in 58 ports and 11 coastal areas by replacing it with the permanent solution design and technology via the core system upgrade.


Shore Units and Aids to Navigation (ATON) $69.4M (0 FTE)

the budget provides $69.4 million to recapitalize fixed infrastructure for safe, functional and modern shore facilities that effectively support Coast Guard assets and personnel:

• Station New York Boat ramp–Constructs a boat ramp for launching small boats at Station New York, N.Y., for both the Station and Maritime Safety and Security team New York.

• Air Station Barbers Point–Constructs an aircraft rinse rack facility to properly and effectively rinse C-130 aircraft at Air Station Barbers Point.

• Major Acquisition Systems infrastructure–Commences construction of piers and support facilities for three FrC homeports; construction of an MPA training facility at Aviation technical training Center in Elizabeth City, N.C.; construction of an MPA maintenance facility hangar at the Aviation Logistics Center at Elizabeth City.

• AtoN infrastructure–Completes improvements to short-range aids and infrastructure to enhance the safety of maritime transportation.

Personnel and Management $117.4M (842 FTE)

the budget provides $117.4 million to provide pay and benefits for the Coast Guard’s acquisition workforce.

Efficiently Preserve Front-Line Operations

Pay and Allowances $88.9M (0 FTE)

the budget provides $88.9 million to maintain parity of military pay, allowances and health care with dod, and funds the civilian raise. As a branch of the armed forces of the U.S., the Coast Guard is subject to the provisions of the National defense Authorization Act, which includes pay and personnel benefits for the military workforce.

Annualization of Fiscal Year 2012 Initiatives $54.2M (260 FTE)

the budget provides $54.2 million to continue critical FY12 initiatives.

Operating and Maintenance Funds for New Assets $47.6M (139 FTE)

the budget provides a total of $47.6 million to fund operations and maintenance of shore facilities and cutters, boats, aircraft and associated C4iSr subsystems delivered through acquisition efforts. Funding is requested for the following assets and systems:

• Shore Facilities–Funding for the operation and maintenance of shore facility projects scheduled for completion prior to FY13.

• response Boat-Medium–Funding for operation and maintenance of 30 boats.

• interagency operations Center (ioC)–Funding for the operation and maintenance of the WatchKeeper system.

• rescue 21 (r21)–Funding for the operation and maintenance of the r21 System in Sector Sault Ste. Marie and Sector Lake Michigan.

• FrC–operating and maintenance funding for FrCs #8-9 and funding for FrC crews 9-10. these assets will be homeported in Key West, Fla. Funding is also requested for shore-side maintenance personnel needed to support FrCs.

• HC-144A MPA–operating and maintenance funding for aircraft 14-15 and personnel funding to operate and support aircraft 15-16.

• Air Station Cape Cod transition–Funding to complete a change in aircraft type allowance, and programmed utilization rates.

• training Systems for Engineering Personnel–Funding to support NSC and FrC training requirements at training Center Yorktown.

• HC-130H Flight Simulator training–Funding to support aircraft simulator training for HC-130H pilots, flight engineers and navigators.

St. Elizabeth’s Headquarters Consolidation $24.5M (0 FTE)

the budget provides funding to support the Coast Guard’s relocation to the dHS consolidated headquarters at the St. Elizabeth’s Campus in Washington, d.C. Funding supports the systematic move of equipment, employees and work functions to the new headquarters location, beginning in the third quarter of FY13.

Strengthen Resource and Operational Stewardship

High Endurance Cutter Decommissionings -$16.8M (-241 FTE)

the Coast Guard will decommission the fourth and fifth of the original fleet of 12 HECs. With the average cutter age at 43 years, the HEC fleet has become increasingly difficult to maintain and sustain operationally. the decommissioning of two HECs is critical to support ongoing major cutter recapitalization efforts. NSCs, including the sixth NSC which is fully funded by this budget request, are replacing the aging HEC fleet.

110-foot Island Class Patrol Boat Decommissionings -$2.0M (-35 FTE)

the Coast Guard will decommission three 110-foot patrol boats in FY13. the 110-ft patrol boats are being replaced by the FrC.


High Tempo High Maintenance Patrol Boat Operations -$33.5M (-206 FTE)

the Coast Guard will terminate the High tempo High Maintenance operations program that facilitates augmented operation of eight in-service 110-foot patrol boats. termination of this program coincides with commissioning of new FrCs which will mitigate this lost capacity.

Close Seasonal Air Facilities -$5.2M (-34 FTE)

the Coast Guard will improve the efficiency of domestic air operations by closing seasonal air facilities and realigning rotary wing capacity to provide three medium-range H-60 helicopters to the Great Lakes region to replace the H-65s currently in service. due to limited demand for services and improved endurance from the H-60, the Coast Guard will discontinue two seasonal Coast Guard air facilities at Muskegon, Mich., and Waukegan, ill.

HU-25 Aircraft Retirements -$5.5M (-20 FTE)

the Coast Guard will retire the three remaining HU-25 aircraft assigned to Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Cape Cod to allow for the transition to HC-144A aircraft. in FY13, the Coast Guard will deliver and place in full-operational status three HC-144A aircraft at CGAS Cape Cod.

Enterprisewide Efficiencies -$56.3M (-24 FTE)

the Coast Guard will seek efficiencies and cost reductions in the areas of it infrastructure, government vehicles, professional services contracts, non-operational travel, GSA leases and permanent change of duty station relocation costs for military personnel and logistics services by consolidating/centralizing functions in geographically concentrated areas.

Programmatic Reductions

in FY13, the Coast Guard will make targeted reductions in base program areas. these base adjustments recognize changes in requirements for selected activities and redirect resources toward higher priorities, including critical recapitalization projects and essential frontline operations.

Headquarters Personnel and Support Reduction -$12.7M (-131 FTE)

the Coast Guard will eliminate 222 headquarters positions through attrition and implementation of a civilian hiring freeze in the Washington, d.C. area. this reduction preserves the Coast Guard’s critical capabilities to conduct front-line operations; mission support; and development and implementation of national policies and regulations.

Recruiting Program Reduction -$9.8M (-39 FTE)

the Coast Guard will make reductions to the recruiting program and selective re-enlistment bonuses for positions not needed based on the current employment outlook.

Other Targeted Program Reductions -$6.7M (-62 FTE)

the Coast Guard will make targeted reductions to the intelligence workforce, organizational performance consultants and non-reimbursable detached duty billets.

Targeted Operational Reductions -$3.7M (-32 FTE)

Based on an internal review of doctrine, policy and operational risk, the Coast Guard will consolidate ports, waterways and coastal security airborne use of force capability at Elizabeth City, N.C., and San diego, Calif., with corresponding elimination of AUF programs at six Coast Guard Air Stations. the Coast Guard will also reorganize the international Mobile training team and eliminate the Vintage Vessel National Center of Expertise (VVNCoE). the duties performed by the VVNCoE will be assumed by sector personnel within the Ninth Coast Guard district.

Prepare for the Future

Polar Icebreaker* $8.0M (0 FTE)

initiates acquisition of a new polar icebreaker to ensure the nation is able to maintain a surface presence in the Arctic well into the future.

Alaska Shore Facilities* $6.1M (0 FTE)

Provides funding to recapitalize and expand helicopter hangar facilities in Cold Bay, Alaska, and recapitalize aviation re-fueling facilities at Sitkinak, Alaska. these investments will sustain the Coast Guard’s ability to establish effective presence in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Chain—the “gateway” to the Arctic. O

For more information, contact CGF Editor Maura McCarthy at [email protected] or search our online archives for related stories at www.cgf-kmi.com.

*Funding amounts within this section are include in totals listed within the “Responsibly Rebuild the Coast Guard” section.


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June 12, 2012Coast Guard Foundation Tribute in Our Nation’s Capitalwww.coastguardfoundation.org/events/calendar/event/6

June 12-14, 2012Mega Rust 2012: Naval Corrosion ConferenceSan Diego, Calif.www.navalengineers.org/events/individualeventwebsites/megarust2012/pages/asnelandingpage.aspx

September 18-19, 2012Fleet Maintenance & Modernization SummitVirginia Beach, Va.www.navalengineers.org/events/individualeventwebsites/fmms2012/pages/asnelandingpage.aspx

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FEATURING COVER AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW:

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Walt HepkerVice President, Business Development

Thales Communications Inc.

Walt Hepker joined Thales Communica-tions in 2006. Since that time, he has served in two key roles: first, as vice president of Program Management from 2006-2007, and currently as vice president of Business Development. As vice president of Business Development, Hepker develops and executes the company’s business development strate-gies and leads the day-to-day operations of the business development department. In his previous role as vice president of Program Management, he was responsible for the suc-cessful execution of all development, produc-tion and customer support programs.

Prior to joining Thales, Hepker spent 28 years with Rockwell Collins, serving in key program management and business devel-opment leadership positions, principally in the military airborne and ground commu-nications markets. He was instrumental in extending the company’s Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) success into the international arena. Hepker has participated as a member and officer in many industry associations, including the Armed Forces Communica-tions and Electronics Association, National Defense Industry Association, United States Naval Institute, and American Defense Pre-paredness Association. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree from Wartburg College with a double major in business administra-tion and accounting.

Q: Can you give us a little background on Thales Communications?

A: We develop, manufacture and support communications systems for the ground, naval, airborne and homeland security/public safety domains and provide innovative, reli-able solutions for size, weight and power—or SWAP—constrained environments. Our headquarters offices and manufacturing facil-ities are located in Clarksburg, Md.

Q: How does Thales leverage this experience to support the U.S. Coast Guard?

A: In several ways. Since 2004, Thales Com-munications has been delivering reliable, HF communications systems into both ship-

borne and fixed-station platforms used by the U.S. Coast Guard. Our offerings improve per-formance, reduce weight, minimize workload and provide more capability in less space. In 2008, the Coast Guard selected our HF sys-tem as the “gold standard” for future cutter acquisitions programs.

The complement to blue water and deployed cutter assets are the littoral, coastal and inland requirements. During 911 scenarios, the Coast Guard requires immediate multi-agency, interoperable com-munications. Currently, because of frag-mented frequency bands and fragmented modes, multiple radios are needed to com-municate between DoD, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and other first responders. We’ve addressed those challenges with our Liberty Multiband Land Mobile Radio. The radio provides the needed interoperable communications capa-bilities in a single radio. It is rugged and sub-mersible. It is also certified Factory Mutual Intrinsic Safe, so it can be used on high risk vessels, on hazardous cargo vessels, in chemi-cal and oil refineries, and in other hazardous environments. In addition, the Liberty radio is capable of receiving 256 bit AES encryp-tion keys over the air using the current Coast Guard Project 25 Over the Air Re-key system. This improves communications security by allowing secure frequent key changes with-out the radios having to be returned to the maintenance facility for manual re-keying.

Q: What projects are currently being worked on and for what customers?

A: We continue to deliver HF systems for the Sentinel-class FRC-B annually as they

are built. We are providing HF training and systems support for Coast Guard C3CEN. This training allows the support personnel at C3CEN to provide further training and/or support to the operators and technicians in the Coast Guard fleet.

Q: What are the challenges you face?

A: We have been serving the Coast Guard for years with our HF solutions. We have been serving the public safety and ground tactical communities for years with our handheld radios, but the Coast Guard is a new cus-tomer for our Liberty multiband radio. They have shown interest, and now we have to demonstrate the capabilities and effective-ness of the radio to this new customer.

Q: What sets Thales Communications apart from the competition?

A: A pioneer of SWAP-constrained, software-defined radio technology, our solutions are cradle-to-grave, from design to manufactur-ing to customer support. We get to know the users of our products so that we can understand the very real challenges they face. We work closely with our customers to ensure we develop the best technology and products to meet those challenges. Further, we provide customer support that has been deemed “world class” by an independent, third party organization.

Q: How does Thales Communications mea-sure success?

A: It’s very basic. We develop innovative, mission-critical technology, and we deliver highly reliable products that exceed our customers’ requirements. We’ve earned the confidence and trust of our custom-ers and never forget what that means. We do everything we can to help our nation’s warfighters and first responders execute their missions successfully and come home safely. And, we have highly-skilled employees who are motivated and proud of the work we do. That is how we measure success. O

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW U.S. Coast Guard Forum


August 2012Vol. 4, Issue 3NEXTISSUE

Cover and In-Depth Interview

Rear Adm.Bruce BafferDirector of Acquisition Programs & PEO

Special SectionAir Asset RecapitalizationThe Coast Guard’s five year capital investment plan for acquisition, construction & improvements projects $3.8 billion in aircraft upgrades and modernization. Where does the service stand in its air asset recapitalization efforts and where will budget dollars go in the next five years?

Mission Critical ContractsCGF highlights the Coast Guard’s top mission-enabling contracts.

Charting a New CourseHow can a degree in logistics and supply chain management equip Coast Guardsmen with the education needed to complement their experience and facilitate the transition to a civilian career in the field?

Oil Spill ResponseWhat did the Coast Guard and industry learn from the Deepwater Horizon experience and how are they working to be better prepared in the event of a future spill of that magnitude?

Port Security UnitsAfter more than a decade at war, the nation’s reserve forces have been utilized more than ever before. What is a deployment like for a PSU, a unit that is staffed mostly by reservists? How do they combine their unique skills, such as tactical communications, with the Navy to create a task force?

Ballast Water ManagementAs global maritime trade increases, so too does the risk of aquatic nuisance species being introduced into ecosystems from ballast water discharge. How are the service and industry working to facilitate the development of ballast water management systems technologies and promote compliance?

Industry Roundtable: Responsibly Rebuilding the Coast GuardThe Coast Guard’s Five Year Capital Investment Plan for acquisition, construction and improvements projects the service’s acquisition priorities for 2013-2017 and is currently estimated at $7.6 billion. From surface and air assets to shore infrastructure or personnel costs, how will industry help responsibly rebuild the service?

Insertion Order Deadline: July 13, 2012 • Ad Materials Deadline: July 20, 2012

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