By Calvin Biesecker
The Coast Guard expects to take final acceptance of its first National Security Cutter (NSC), the 418-foot Bertholf (WMSL 750), sometime this week, Capt. Bruce Baffer, Surface Acquisitions Program Manager for the Coast Guard, said on Monday.
Bertholf then will be ready to deploy for operations this summer, Baffer said during a briefing at the annual Navy League Sea-Air-Space conference.
The Coast Guard accepted delivery of the Bertholf last May and put the vessel in an “In-Commission Special” status (Defense Daily, May 8, 2008). At that time, the cutter still had eight major punch-list items that were quickly being checked-off (Defense Daily, May 28, 2008). Last August, the cutter was commissioned at its homeport in Alameda, Calif.
The Bertholf could begin operating initially with limited ability to pass classified information pending TEMPEST certification. TEMPEST is a type of investigation done to make sure that classified information cannot emanate from communications systems and circuits. The Coast Guard discovered TEMPEST issues with the Bertholf during routine inspections in 2007.
Independent TEMPEST evaluation of the Bertholf was recently completed by a Navy test authority. The Navy report is expected soon to the Coast Guard and Baffer told Defense Daily the service is “very optimistic” about the outcome.
The Bertholf has already been on several patrols for testing and training purposes.
Baffer said that the Bertholf will soon be joined by the second NSC, the Waesche (WMSL 751), which is 80 percent complete and expected to be delivered late this fall. The Coast Guard plans to acquire eight NSCs, which are being built by Northrop Grumman [NOC] as part of the Integrated Coast Guard System (ICGS) joint venture with Lockheed Martin [LMT]. ICGS is under contract for the third NSC.
The fourth NSC will not be contracted to ICGS, which is winding down its role as the lead systems integrator for the Coast Guard’s Deepwater modernization program. The service is taking over the systems integration role for Deepwater. Baffer said the contract for the fourth NSC will occur in FY ’10.
Regarding plans for the Coast Guard’s ice breakers, Baffer said the service is reviewing its future missions in the Arctic areas, particularly in light of the melting ice cap. Whether new vessels or service life extensions of existing ships will be needed is undecided, he said.
Baffer also said that upgrades are progressing on the service’s fleet of legacy patrol and medium endurance cutters with availabilities completed on 23 of a planned 60 vessels.