Office of Aviation Forces (CG-711)
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Overview
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), a central Coast Guard operational
concept, refers to the effective understanding of anything associated with
the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy, or
environment of the United States.
Cutter- and land-based Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) will contribute to
MDA by providing persistent, wide area surveillance, along with detection,
classification, and identification functions. To accomplish these tasks, UAS
payloads will likely include maritime radar, electro-optical and infrared
cameras, and an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver, at a
minimum.
Tactical, cutter-based UASs augment the operational effectiveness of Coast
Guard cutters by extending their surveillance horizon beyond the
capabilities of on board sensors and embarked manned aircraft. The Coast
Guard is rapidly preparing to employ UASs aboard National Security Cutters (NSCs)
and Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs). Although a specific system has not
yet been selected for procurement, the Coast Guard has already demonstrated
small UAS capabilities aboard CGC STRATTON as an initial step for the NSC
fleet.
Additionally, the Coast Guard is jointly operating strategic, land-based
UASs with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), providing wide area
surveillance comparable to that of Coast Guard and joint service maritime
patrol aircraft. Not only are these capabilities employed on a daily
basis in and near U.S. territorial waters, but also in forward deployed
locations via beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity.
In
2009, the Coast Guard stood up a UAS Standardization Branch at ATC Mobile,
an operational UAS cadre at CGAS Corpus Christi, and several program-level
billets at headquarters to support these groundbreaking endeavors.
These personnel, along with the U.S. Navy and CBP have enabled the Coast
Guard to study and operate UAS capabilities and develop tactics, techniques,
procedures, and regulations in support of future UAS fielding within the
Service.
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