US Coast Guard’s Deepwater Effort Sinks

The US Coast Guard is currently operating vessels that date from the 1950s and 1960s, and a fleet-wide recapitalization is becoming an urgent priority given its new domestic security responsibilities. That effort is being handled as an integrated, multi-year $25 billion project called Deepwater that encompasses everything from long-range patrol aircraft and UAVs, to new communications and computing backbones, to new ship designs. Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, has been serving as the program’s overall system-of-systems integrator.

Deepwater has been fraught with difficulties since the program’s inception. The Coast Guard was guaranteed a rough ride due to the issues with its existing fleet and lower status than the military services; its choice of program structure has also received negative reviews (as well as some official reports of improvement) for some time. DID offers some quick pointers to the New York Times and Washington Post articles covering Deepwater, as well as links to additional in-depth background from agencies like the GAO and our own previous coverage.

• Deepwater 2006: A Gathering Storm
  
• Deepwater: Key Updates [NEW]
  
• Additional Readings [updated]
  

US MDA Wants Lockheed to Help Explore Future Weapon Concepts

In December 2010, the US Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Moorestown, NJ cost-plus-award-fee contract modification, with a total increased value of $184 million, “to allow for continued performance of future weapon system concept exploration” for the MDA.

The initial $20 million is HQ0276-10-C-0001 contract line item number 0025, for work through Dec 31/12. The remaining $164 million will be divided into 7 x $20 million option periods, and 1 $24 million option period. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ.

Rapid Fire 2011-12-14: China’s Evolving Navy

• The Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs released a report [PDF] on the Chinese Navy’s capabilities and roles that concludes the PLAN is extending its reach and has initiated a serious C4ISR effort.

• An MQ-9 Reaper operated by the USAF in the Seychelles crashed while it was landing.

• Speaking of which, China is considering using the Indian Ocean island as a resupply port for its ships involved in anti-piracy operations.