Research and Development

Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock use an oil-skimming device to recover peat moss, a substitute for spilled oil, near Mackinac Island, Jan. 24, 2012. The crew is participating in a project led by the Research and Development Center, showcasing techniques for removing spilled oil from a frozen environment. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Schofield.

The Coast Guard’s Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) program enhances acquisition and mission execution by providing applied scientific research, development, testing, and evaluation of new technologies for the maritime environment. The RDT&E program pursues technologies that provide incremental improvements as well as those with the greatest potential to strategically transform the way the Coast Guard does business. Learn more about capabilities>>

Research and Development Center Project Spotlight

At any given time, the Coast Guard's Research and Development Center is working on more than 80 projects that support the Coast Guard’s short, medium and long range requirements across all major missions.

Search and Rescue Distress Notification Methods and Alternatives

Pyrotechnic flares are commonly used by mariners to signal distress. Flares have drawbacks and present significant storage and disposal problems. Learn more>>

Latest News Releases

RDC Tests Oil Removal from Ice

As petroleum reserves in the Arctic become more attractive, scientists at the Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Conn., are helping to develop new ways to tackle the unique challenges of cleaning up oil spills from icy water. Read more: Delivering the Goods (PDF, page 4)>>

Coast Guard, Other Environmental Response Agencies to Practice Recovering Oil from Icy Water

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, oil spill response organizations, Enbridge Energy Partners and several other agencies are scheduled to participate in a unique exercise out of St. Ignace, Mich. during which several techniques for recovering spilled oil and other hazardous materials from icy waterways will be tested and evaluated. Read more>>

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