- Mission Effectiveness Project
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The Medium Endurance Cutter Mission Effectiveness Project (MEP)
The Medium Endurance Cutter Mission Effectiveness Project (MEP) will ensure the operational reliability of the Coast Guard's 14 Reliance Class cutters and 13 Famous Class cutters remains viable until replacement by the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC).
Background
Reliance and Famous class cutters are helicopter-capable medium-range, medium-endurance platforms. Their missions include enforcement of laws and treaties, fisheries, migrant interdiction, counter-drug activities, safety inspections, search and rescue, and homeland security.
While effective assets in their day, the WMECs are experiencing declining readiness to perform these missions due to technological obsolescence and worn out equipment.
The first 210' entered service in the mid 1960s and will reach its projected end of service life in 2010. The current plan keeps them in service until 2017.
The 270's are now over 20 years old and have seen little sub-system modernization since their construction. The current plan keeps some 270s in service to 2022, well past their estimated end of service life.
Modernization
Each cutter will leave a scheduled availability with new equipment and an improved logistical support system that will ensure the continued efficient and economical operation of the 210' and 270' WMEC fleet. The project has four major objectives:
- capability enhancements
- replacement of obsolete, unsupportable, or maintenance-intensive equipment
- major maintenance
- configuration item standardization
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