Page 45: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2022)

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

Deputy Sector Commander for Sector Honolulu Cmdr. Aja

Kirksey said the option of sending an FRC with a WLB to- gether as a surface action unit (SAG) has proven to be success-

Sentinel Class Fast ful. But these long deployments have risk, and we shouldn’t assume that because we’ve done it that we should continue to

Response Cutters do them as the norm in the future.” “As good as the FRC is, it isn’t the optimal asset for this • Number Planned: 64 area of operations,” she said. “We’ve been lucky because we’ve done really good operational planning, and we put a lot • Length: 154 feet of attention on the success of this mission. But we’re exceed- • Beam: 25 feet ing the design and operational intent of what this what this • Draft: 9 feet 6 inches asset was created to do.”

While the FRC and WLB make a good team, the consen- • Displacement: 353 long tons sus is that two FRCs together don’t have the excess storage • Maximum Speed: 28+ knots or medical support that the 225 can provide. Kirksey said a • Range: 2,500 nautical miles fourth FRC for Sector Honolulu would be helpful, but it’s not in the Coast Guard’s plans. • Propulsion: Two 4,300 kW (5,800 shp)

Kirksey said the 418-foot, 4,500-ton National Security Cut-

MTU diesel engines ters (WMSLs) and WLBs, as well as the new 4,500-ton, 360- foot Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), have better endurance • Boats: Cutter Boat – Over the Horizon – and seakeeping. She’s looking forward to when the OPCs

Jet-drive starting joining the ? eet in 2025. • Weapons: 1 × Mk 38 Mod 2 25 mm “Not only will the OPC be better suited for the long mis- sions, their ability to perform missions now conducted by the autocannon; 4 × crew-served Browning

WMSLs (such as Bering Sea ? sheries patrols) will free them

M2 machine guns up to come out here to District 14, where they are ideal for the • Endurance: Five days expeditionary patrols.”

But, Kirksey said, in the absence of the perfect asset, the • Crew: 24 (Four of? cer; 20 enlisted)

FRCs are the right asset for the job right now. “We’re making it work.”

The crew of USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) prepare to moor at the port of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Aug. 3, 2019. They will conduct a joint ? sheries patrol with NOAA

Fisheries and American Samoa Marine Police members.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Of? cer Sara Muir/Released www.marinelink.com 45

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