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.
Various types of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) could contribute to MDA by providing persistent, wide area surveillance.
Tactical, cutter-based UASs would augment the operational effectiveness of Coast Guard cutters by extending a cutter’s surveillance horizon. The Coast Guard is studying the most effective classes of UASs to operate from the National Security Cutter (NSC), an advanced capability vessel that uses onboard sensors and partnerships with manned and unmanned aircraft to support a 12,000-nautical mile surveillance range.
Additionally, the Coast Guard is studying tactical, land-based UASs that would provide surveillance capability comparable to those of Coast Guard and joint-service maritime patrol aircraft. Both cutter-based and land-based UASs should be able to perform surveillance, detection, classification, and target identification functions. To accomplish these tasks, the UASs’ payload should include a maritime radar, electro-optical sensors, and an automatic identification system.
To support this endeavor, the Coast Guard has partnered with the U.S. Navy and Customs and Border Protection to study existing/emerging UAS capabilities within their respective organizations. As these systems mature, research and operational experience gleaned from this joint effort will enable the Coast Guard to develop its own cutter- and land-based UAS capabilities.
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