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DEEPWATER
America’s Maritime Frontline

SEMPER PARATUS

The motto "Semper Paratus" goes to the core of the United States Coast Guard. "Always Ready," the Coast Guard faces the many challenges confronting America.

This proud tradition dates back to the earliest years of our nation's history. In 1790, a fleet of cutters was created by the first Congress of the United States to enforce tariff laws. With the disbanding of the Continental Navy following the American Revolution, these cutters served as the only warships protecting our coast, trade, and maritime interests. Later named the Revenue Cutter Service, these nimble fighting ships provided distinguished service in each of America's major military confrontations and in the protection of American lives and property.

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[Image Caption]: The Harriet Lane was the first successful steam-powered revenue cutter. The Harriet Lane had a distinguished career, including firing the first shot by a ship in the American Civil War.

The responsibilities of the Revenue Cutters increased in 183 1 when the Secretary of the Treasury directed the Revenue Cutter Gallatin to cruise the coast in search of persons in distress, marking the first time a government agency was tasked to search for those who might be in danger. Later that century, as a growing number of immigrants from Europe increased the frequency of wrecks along the New York and New Jersey shores the Life Saving Service was established The connection between the Revenue Cutters and the Life-Saving Service became strong, a bond made complete when the services merged on January 28, 1915 to become the Coast Guard.

Today, the Coast Guard operates in all of our nation's maritime regions -- deepwater, coastal, and inland. Deepwater missions are unique in that they typically require a long-term, continuous, on-scene presence, often with deployments away from home stations for several months on end. Deepwater missions also demand the ability to operate in severe environments -- from Arctic to tropical and equatorial climates -- 24 hours a day every day, wherever the Coast Guard s humanitarian, law enforcement, or military presence is required.

As the Coast Guard looks to its fourth century of service, a complex mosaic of maritime users, interests and dangers drug-smuggling illegal migration, pollution, international terrorism and the illegal exploitation of our natural resources will challenge America as never before.

21st CENTURY THREATS TO AMERICA

National Security can no longer be defined simply as military threats to the United States. National Security now encompasses a complex web of economic, social, environmental, political, diplomatic, cultural, and military dimensions. More than simply "guarding the coasts," the Coast Guard has had, and continues to have, broad responsibilities for safeguarding American interests.

With its blend of expertise honed over centuries of protecting American interests around the world, today's Coast Guard is a unique instrument of national security, ready to meet the challenges on America's maritime frontlines.

Illegal Narcotics

Today, the influx of illegal drugs is one of America's foremost national security problems. Over 60% of those arrested for criminal activity in America tested positive for drugs at the time of arrest. Overall, illegal narcotics have a $70 billion negative impact on our GNP.

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[Image caption]: On a daily basis, the Coast Guard faces a well organized and dangerous international criminal threat. As the lead agency for the maritime interdiction of drugs, the Coast Guard keeps illegal narcotics off our streets and out of our schools.

Illegal Migration

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[Image caption]: Many illegal migrant interdiction operations amount to humanitarian efforts as much as they do law enforcement, as migrant vessels interdicted at sea are often overloaded and unseaworthy.

As the economic disparity among nations of the world widens, there will be increasing numbers of illegal migrants attempting to reach U.S. shores. Between 1980 and 1998, the Coast Guard interdicted 289,600 migrants, more people than the population of Iceland. Once they reach our shores, illegal migrants strain the healthcare and social-assistance systems of the United States at a staggering cost to American taxpayers.

Fisheries Exploitation

The years following World War II saw an expansion in the size and efficiency of foreign high-seas fishing fleets. While the demand for edible fish products continues to rise with a growing world population, our dwindling resources and a $30 billion a year commercial and recreational fishing industry are at risk. Additionally, a growing menace, High Seas Drift Net (HSDN) vessels, are stealing and destroying fish stocks far at sea and damaging near shore fisheries. The Coast Guard is the one service charged with the at-sea interdiction of HSDN vessels and the protection of our resources and this vital industry.

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[Image caption]: “The United States needs to maintain a fleet of ships and long range aircraft to patrol the distant waters of our jurisdiction and beyond where renegade fishing fleets that threaten our stocks operate." --Tony Knowles, Governor of Alaska

Environmental Damage

Accidents, like the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989, can happen at any time. A new threat to our environment has emerged in the wake of the Gulf War -- deliberate acts of eco-terrorism. The accidental, unauthorized, or purposeful discharge of oil and other petroleum products, hazardous substances and chemicals, or human waste can result in far-reaching effects not only to the local environment but to the economic viability and personal health of maritime communities and regions.

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[Image caption]: Today the Coast Guard protects the critical natural resources located in the United States' 2.25 million square mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This involves a wide range of prevention, containment, and recovery activities and operations.

Terrorism and Regional Conflicts

Following the end of the Cold War, the threat of large theater war has diminished. In its place has come an increase in regional conflicts and terrorism -- both in the United States and abroad. While the Coast Guard has been engaged in all major wars that this nation has faced, it is also increasingly applying its expertise in this changing national defense environment to meet these new challenges.

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[Image caption]: Because of its distinctive blend of humanitarian, civilian law enforcement, diplomatic, and military capabilities, the Coast Guard is uniquely suited for critical roles in peacetime forward presence, crisis-response, and combat operations.

GUARDIANS OF THE SEA

The Coast Guard's role as "America's Lifesavers" dates back to its roots as the Revenue Cutter and Life-Saving Services. Today, the Coast Guard saves an average of nearly 50,000 people in distress each year. Looking toward the future, a rapidly expanding cruise industry and the continuing increase in the number of privately owned vessels will lead to an even greater call for Search and Rescue by the Coast Guard.

On the threshold of the 2lst Century, the Coast Guard still relies on the personal courage, dedication, and unique skills of its personnel to protect lives and property at the mercy of unforgiving seas.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE

While the Coast Guard stands ready to face the challenges of its many Deepwater roles, the greatest threat confronting the Coast Guard today is the fact that the deepwater ships and aircraft required to carry out those Deepwater missions are aging and technologically obsolete. Existing Coast Guard Deepwater assets lack fundamental capabilities and technologies necessary for efficient and effective mission performance. Examples include: inadequate cutter speed; poor sensors and night operations capability on both aircraft and cutters; limited interoperability between cutters and aircraft; and inadequate communications. In addition to the capability limitations that hinder Coast Guard performance, antiquated technology increases operating and maintenance hours, placing greater demands on the logistics infrastructure and driving up maintenance costs.

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The Deepwater Project has been initiated to ensure the timely acquisition of the necessary resources to meet the demands of the Coast Guard's federally mandated missions. This project utilizes commercial and military technologies and innovation to develop a completely integrated, multi-mission, and highly flexible system of deepwater assets at the lowest total ownership cost.

DEEPWATER INDUSTRY TEAMS

The Deepwater Project has awarded Conceptual Design contracts to three industry teams with Lockheed Martin, Avondale Industries Inc., and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) serving as prime contractors. Each industry team consists of a host of subcontractors whose expertise runs the gamut of surface, air, sensor, communications, and logistics capabilities. Keeping teams in competition stimulates innovation and fair pricing, and collaborative teaming between government and industry minimizes overall project risk. The end result is a contract award that ultimately yields the best value for the Coast Guard and America.

Avondale Industries, Inc.
Boeing-McDonnell Douglas Corporation
John J. McMullen & Associates, Inc.
DAI, Inc.
Raytheon Systems Company

Lockheed Martin Government Electronic Systems
Litton/Ingalls Shipbuilding
Litton/PRC, M. Rosenblatt & Son, Litton/Sperry Marine, Inc., Litton Data Systems
Division, University of New Orleans
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
Halter-Bollinger Joint Venture, L.L.C.
Lockheed Martin Information Systems
Lockheed Martin Ocean Radar and Sensor Systems
Sanders, Lockheed Martin Company
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems - Owego
Lockheed Martin Management and Data Systems
Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Lab
LOGICON Syscon
L-3 Communications East
PROSOFT

Science Applications International Corporation
Marinette Marine Corporation
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Soza & Company, Ltd.
Bath Iron Works
CTM Automated Systems
AMSEC
Fuentez Systems Concepts, Inc.
Gibbs & Cox, Inc.
Interactive Television Corporation
Clark Atlanta University

MISSION BASED PERFORMANCE ACQUISITION

The Deepwater Project's approach is truly unique within the federal government. Traditionally, major acquisition projects are focused on purchasing a single type of asset or specific service. The Deepwater Project breaks with that paradigm and implements an innovative and unique Mission-Based Performance Acquisition approach. Rather than focusing on acquiring specific hardware, the Coast Guard has concentrated on updating its ability to perform all of its fourteen mandated missions in the deepwater region. Mission Based Performance Acquisition empowers the Deepwater industry teams to leverage the whole spectrum of cutting edge technologies and processes in their design concepts. By including the full range of assets --cutters, aircraft, sensors, communications, and logistics -- industry has the flexibility to develop the optimum mix of assets that will comprise their Integrated Deepwater System concepts. By considering and designing Deepwater assets as components of an overall Integrated Deepwater System, interoperability is built-in from the start.

VALUE FOR AMERICA

The Coast Guard is a national asset, proudly serving the interests of the American people around the globe. An Integrated Deepwater System will provide the right tools to improve the Coast Guard's operational efficiency. With the much needed additional capability of this integrated approach, the Coast Guard will continue to stand ready to protect American sovereignty and defend its security well into the 21st Century.

To learn more about the U.S. Coast Guard Deepwater Project visit us on the web at www.uscg.mil/deepwater