SEAPOWER
Volume 51, Number 8, August 2008
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES
www.navyleague.org
DEPARTMENTS
3 President’s Message
4 Editor’s Note
9 Intercepts
48 Program Snapshot
49 Historical Perspective
53 Navy League News
SPECIAL REPORT: DEEPWATER
AND THE U.S. COAST GUARD
While the U.S. Coast Guard gets its $24 billion, 25-year Deepwater acquisition program in order, the service has a host of other issues to contend
with as its mission load increases and budget, equipment and infrastructure struggle to keep up. From the rising price of oil to expanded access to
the Arctic region and recruiting new service members, the service must
maintain a careful balancing act as it moves into the future.
BY JOHN C. MARCARIO
56 Council Digest
16 Deepwater Acquisition Program Shows Results
20 Coast Guard Worries About Future Cutter Funding
8 Washington Report:
Supplemental boosts
Navy aviation,
but analysts question
its real purpose
22 Legislation Would Boost Service’s Role in LNG Security
26 Millions Worth of Aids-to-Navigation Equipment Lost to Flooding
28 Diversity, Female Enlistees Are Top Goals of Coast Guard Recruiters
32 Summer Mission Will Determine if Greater Arctic Presence is Needed
12
FEATURES
3 A Critical Asset
BY J. MICHAEL McGRATH
12 Plan Would Give All DDG 51s Improved Missile Defense Capabilities
BY OTTO KREISHER
34 Experts Differ on Arctic’s Potential as Trade Route
BY MATT HILBURN
38 Navy Takes Simulation Aloft in Training Aircraft
BY RICHARD. R. BURGESS
42 Marine Corps to Re-Assess Capabilities of
Future Tactical Vehicle Fleet
BY MATT HILBURN
44 INTERVIEW: Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command
BY RICHARD R. BURGESS
64 In My Own Words
BY CMDR. ALAN ARSENAULT
ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER FOR RESCUE 21
COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON
COVER PHOTO OF A CREW MEMBER ABOARD A NEW 45-FOOT RESPONSE BOAT–MEDIUM CONDUCTING HOIST TRAINING WITH AN HH- 60 JAYHAWK RESCUE HELICOPTER APRIL 16
OFF COAST GUARD STATION LITTLE CREEK, VA., BY PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS CHRISTOPHER EVANSON. COVER DESIGN BY AMY BILLINGHAM, PENSARÉ DESIGN GROUP LTD.
