ALCOAST 228/08
COMDTNOTE 3100
SUBJ: BERTHOLF DELIVERED TO THE COAST GUARD
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC R182009Z APR 08, ALCOAST 186/08
1. THE COAST GUARD COMPLETED PRELIMINARY ACCEPTANCE (DELIVERY) OF
THE FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY CUTTER (NSC), BERTHOLF, TODAY, MAY 8,
2008, IN PASCAGOULA, MISS. BERTHOLFS DELIVERY IS A MAJOR MILESTONE
IN THE MODERNIZATION OF COAST GUARD ASSETS.
2. VICE ADM. VIVIEN CREA, THE COAST GUARDS AGENCY ACQUISITION
EXECUTIVE (AAE) AND VICE COMMANDANT, GAVE THE GO AHEAD FOR DELIVERY
OF BERTHOLF AFTER REVIEWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF: INSURV (NAVY
BOARD OF INSPECTION AND SURVEY), BERTHOLF PROSPECTIVE COMMANDING
OFFICER, CAPT. PATRICK STADT, AND A COAST GUARD EXECUTIVE BOARD
CONSISTING OF SENIOR LEADERS OF THE COAST GUARDS ACQUISITION
DIRECTORATE, OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE (PROGRAM SPONSOR), AND COAST
GUARD TECHNICAL AUTHORITIES.
3. TODAYS DELIVERY IS MARKED BY SIGNING A MATERIAL INSPECTION AND
RECEIVING REPORT DD250. THE SIGNED DD250 REPRESENTS THE COAST
GUARDS PRELIMINARY ACCEPTANCE OF THE NSC FROM THE SHIP BUILDER.
IT ALSO SIGNIFIES THE CUTTERS TRANSITION TO IN COMMISSION, SPECIAL
STATUS, MEANING THAT THE PERMANENT CREW WILL NOW MOVE ON BOARD FOR
FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING AND PRE-DEPARTURE WORKUPS.
4. THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOLLOWS ACCEPTANCE TRIALS DURING WHICH
THE SHIP BUILDER WORKED WITH INSURV TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF
BERTHOLFS CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLIANCE WITH COAST GUARD
SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.  AS IS TYPICAL FOR A COMPLEX,
FIRST IN CLASS NAVAL COMBATANT, THESE TRIALS RESULTED IN A NUMBER
OF TRIAL CARDS, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT USES TO DOCUMENT TECHNICAL AND
PERFORMANCE DISCREPANCIES THAT REQUIRE RESOLUTION PRIOR TO FINAL
ACCEPTANCE.
 A. FOR A FIRST OF CLASS SHIP DESIGN, THE US NAVY HAS TRADITIONALLY
SEEN BETWEEN 6,000 AND 16,000 TRIAL CARDS DURING SEA TRIALS.
BERTHOLFS ACCEPTANCE TRIALS GENERATED ONLY ABOUT 2,800 TRIAL
CARDS. OF THESE CARDS, ONLY EIGHT WERE STARRED CARDS THAT INSURV
RECOMMENDS BE RESOLVED OR WAIVED PRIOR TO PRELIMINARY ACCEPTANCE.
THE COAST GUARD HAS OVERSEEN THE SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION OF TWO
STARRED CARDS. THE REMAINING STARRED CARDS ARE PROGRESSING AND ARE
BEING ADDRESSED BY THE COAST GUARD, WITH SOME PENDING AT SEA FINAL
TESTING (FOR EXAMPLE, THE STARBOARD ANCHOR BRAKE HAS BEEN CORRECTED
BUT REQUIRES 45 FATHOMS OF WATER FOR FINAL TESTING). THOSE CARDS,
ALONG WITH ALL OTHER OUTSTANDING TRIAL CARDS, ARE LISTED AS
EXCEPTIONS ON THE DD250 AND WILL BE CLOSELY TRACKED UNTIL THEY ARE
COMPLETELY ADDRESSED. NONE OF THE EIGHT STARRED CARDS WILL BE
PERMANENTLY WAIVED, ONLY DEFERRED TEMPORARILY FOR FINAL
CERTIFICATION.
 B. IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING THOSE TRIAL CARDS, THE COAST GUARD
CONTINUES ITS INFORMATION ASSURANCE WORK TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION
OF ALL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS ON BOARD BERTHOLF. THOSE
EFFORTS INCLUDE TEMPEST TESTING AND SOFTWARE SCANS BY THE U.S.
NAVYS SPACE AND NAVAL WARFARE SYSTEMS COMMAND (SPAWAR). WORK WILL
CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT ALL SYSTEMS RECEIVE PROPER CERTIFICATION
PRIOR TO THE CUTTERS FIRST OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENT. ANTICIPATING
THAT SOME INSTALLED CLASSIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS MAY NOT BE
CERTIFIED AND ACCREDITED PRIOR TO A MID JUNE SAIL AWAY DATE,
TEMPORARY STAND ALONE SYSTEMS, AS NECESSARY, WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE
TO THE SHIP FOR THE VOYAGE TO HOMEPORT. NO CLASSIFIED
COMMUNICATIONS WILL OCCUR OVER ANY SYSTEM THAT HAS NOT MET
STRINGENT INFORMATION ASSURANCE STANDARDS (INCLUDING TEMPEST
CERTIFICATION).
5. ALTHOUGH DELIVERY IS A MAJOR MILESTONE AND THE CUTTER HAS COME A
LONG WAY SINCE ITS KEEL LAYING IN 2004, IT IS ALSO THE BEGINNING OF
A LENGTHY POST-DELIVERY PROCESS THAT INCLUDES 22 TO 24 MONTHS OF
TESTING, EVALUATION, TRIAL CARD RESOLUTION, AND CERTIFICATIONS.
INFORMATION ASSURANCE, WEAPONS TESTING, ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION,
SMALL BOAT OPERATIONS, HELICOPTER OPERATIONS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER
TASKS WILL BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT THE SHIP MEETS ALL TECHNICAL
REQUIREMENTS AND THAT THE CREW IS FULLY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED
BEFORE BERTHOLF BECOMES A FULLY OPERATIONAL CUTTER WITHIN THE COAST
GUARDS FLEET. LESSONS LEARNED FROM BUILDING THE FIRST NSC WILL BE
USED TO IMPROVE THE PROJECT FOR THE SEVEN REMAINING CUTTERS AS WELL
AS FUTURE CUTTER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS.
6. THE COAST GUARD IS VERY PROUD OF BERTHOLF AND THE HARD WORK DONE
BY OUR ACQUISITION AND ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS TO MAKE THIS SHIP
READY FOR DELIVERY. WE APPRECIATE THE EXTRA EFFORTS OF THE COAST
GUARD PROGRAM MANAGERS REPRESENTATIVES OFFICE GULF COAST (PMRO),
THE CONTRACTING OFFICER, THE SURFACE AND C4ISR PROGRAM MANAGERS,
THE NSC PROJECT MANAGER, THE OPERATIONAL COMMANDER (PACAREA),
SENIOR TRIAL OBSERVER, THE TRIAL OBSERVATION TEAM, THE PROSPECTIVE
COMMANDING OFFICER AND CREW, AND WORKERS ON THE SHIP BUILDERS
TEAM. IN ADDITION, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT
THAT THE U.S. NAVY HAS PROVIDED THROUGH: THE SUPERVISOR OF
SHIPBUILDING, CONVERSION AND REPAIR, GULF COAST (SUPSHIP), NAVAL
SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND (NAVSEA), SPACE AND NAVAL WARFARE SYSTEMS
COMMAND (SPAWAR), NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND (NAVAIR), PRESIDENT,
BOARD OF INSPECTION AND SURVEY, AND COMMANDER OPERATIONAL TEST AND
EVALUATION FORCE (COMOPTEVFOR) AND NUMEROUS OTHERS. WE ALSO
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE MANY SUBCONTRACTORS, INCLUDING THE
AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING.
7. IN APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR, FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION OF
ALL TRIAL CARDS, AND COMPLETION OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD, THE COAST
GUARD ANTICIPATES FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE CUTTER.
8. A FORMAL COMMISSIONING CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE ON COAST GUARD
DAY, AUGUST 4, 2008 IN ALAMEDA, CALIF.
9. MORE INFORMATION ON THE NSC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/ACQUISITION/NSC/DEFAULT.ASP.
10.  RADM GARY T. BLORE, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR ACQUISITION,
SENDS.
11.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.