R 202214Z DEC 07 ZUI ASN-A00354000026 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-9//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N09050//
ALCOAST 581/07
COMDTNOTE 9050
SUBJ: SITREP 4-BERTHOLF CONCLUDES EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE MACHINERY
TRIALS
1. DECEMBER 4-10, BERTHOLF GOT UNDERWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER
HER OWN POWER FOR SIX DAYS OF MACHINERY TRIALS (MT). THERE STILL IS
A GREAT DEAL OF WORK AHEAD BEFORE DELIVERY (WHICH IS SLATED FOR
SPRING 2008) BUT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED (FROM THE SHIPBUILDER, TO
THE PROGRAM MANAGERS REPRESENTATIVES OFFICE-GULF COAST (PMRO), TO
THE ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE AND HQ STAFF, AND ESPECIALLY TO
BERTHOLF'S PROSPECTIVE CREW), MT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS IS AN
AWESOME SHIP.
2. PRIOR TO MT, THE CONTRACTOR AND THE COAST GUARD COMPLETED 316
TESTS AND 392 COMPARTMENT INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE SHIP WOULD
HAVE A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE TRIAL. A COAST GUARD TEAM OF 40
PERSONNEL FROM THE PMRO AND OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WITNESSED
THE TRIALS, WHICH TESTED MACHINERY AND SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE SHIP.
THE COAST GUARD IS VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS TO DATE.
DISCREPANCIES NOTED DURING MT WILL BE RESOLVED PRIOR TO BUILDERS
TRIALS (BT) IN JANUARY, FURTHER REDUCING THE PROJECT'S RISKS.
3. MT HAS POSITIONED BERTHOLF WELL FOR SUBSEQUENT TRIALS, WITH THE
CONTRACTORS DOING A COMMENDABLE JOB OF PREPARING THE SHIP. THE USCG
TRIALS TEAMS INITIAL ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE SHIP IS SMOOTH,
MANEUVERABLE AND QUIET. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TEST CREW PUT FULL LOADING
ON THE MAIN PROPULSION PLANT AND OUR EARLY ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE
SHIP MET ITS SPEED REQUIREMENTS (28+ KNOTS) WITH SOME POWER TO
SPARE.  DURING ONE HIGH SPEED RUN THE SHIP HEELED JUST 15 DEGREES
AT FULL RUDDER (LESS THAN PREDICTED). ADDITIONALLY, MOST OF THE
CUTTERS SOPHISTICATED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WAS OPERATED AHEAD OF
ITS SCHEDULED TESTS IN JANUARY, INDICATING SATISFACTORY
PERFORMANCE.  MT ALSO INCLUDED SEVERAL LAUNCH AND RECOVERY
EVOLUTIONS WITH A BELL 412 HELICOPTER. SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT OPS WERE
CONDUCTED IN VARIED CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SMOOTH DESCENT TO THE
FLIGHT DECK IN 21-KNOT RELATIVE WIND, 15 DEGREES OFF THE STARBOARD
BOW.  THE PILOTS, WHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH SIMILAR SIZED NAVAL
VESSELS, REPORTED SMOOTH AIR AND VERY LITTLE BURBLE OFF OF THE
SUPERSTRUCTURE.
4. HAVING A LARGE USCG CONTINGENT ABOARD DURING MT ALLOWED EXTENDED
OBSERVATION OF EQUIPMENT BY COAST GUARD OPERATORS, INCLUDING
PROSPECTIVE BERTHOLF CREW MEMBERS. THIS CLOSE OBSERVATION RESULTED
IN NUMEROUS 'TRIAL CARD' REPORTS OF ISSUES THAT NOW WILL BE WORKED
BY THE CONTRACTOR. RESOLUTION OF THESE ISSUES WILL REDUCE RISK AND
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF BT EARLY NEXT YEAR AND IMPROVE THE CUTTERS
ABILITY TO MEET ITS OPERATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
5. THE COAST GUARD AND ITS PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE USN, ARE
IMPLEMENTING AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN TO ENSURE THE BERTHOLF SUCCESSFULLY
MEETS ALL TECHNICAL AND MISSION REQUIREMENTS BEFORE ENTERING
OPERATION. OUR RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN WILL HELP ENSURE THAT THE COAST
GUARD GETS BEST VALUE FROM THE SHIPBUILDER AS WELL AS CLEAR THE WAY
FOR SUCCESSFUL ACCEPTANCE TRIALS (AT), WHICH ARE PLANNED FOR
FEBRUARY 2008. DURING AT THE CONTRACTOR WILL DEMONSTRATE TO THE USN
BOARD OF INSPECTION AND SURVEY (INSURV), AND TO THE COAST GUARD
THAT THE SHIP MEETS ITS REQUIREMENTS. INSURV, AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE
MISSION INCLUDES INSPECTION OF USN AND USNS SHIPS PRIOR TO
ACCEPTANCE, IS SUPPORTING THE COAST GUARD IN DETERMINING THE
MATERIEL READINESS OF BERTHOLF FOR ACCEPTANCE. WHILE DELIVERY IS A
MAJOR MILESTONE, IT IS MERELY ONE STEP IN A LONG ACCEPTANCE PROCESS
THAT INCLUDES 18-22 MONTHS OF POST-DELIVERY SHAKEDOWN TESTING AND
EVALUATION TO ENSURE THE SHIP IS READY FOR MISSION OPERATION. THE
COAST GUARD WILL WORK WITH THE USN COMMANDER OPERATIONAL TEST AND
EVALUATION FORCE TO ENSURE BERTHOLF IS OPERATIONALLY SUITABLE AND
EFFECTIVE.
6. CONSTRUCTION AND FITTING OUT OF BERTHOLF IS MORE THAN 90 PERCENT
COMPLETE. SISTER SHIP WAESCHE IS MORE THAN 40 PERCENT COMPLETE, AND
A PRODUCTION CONTRACT HAS BEEN SIGNED FOR NSC 3. MORE INFORMATION
ON THE NSC CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/ACQUISITION/.
7. BASED UPON THE FAVORABLE REPORTS FROM MT AND PERSONAL
INSPECTIONS OF THE CUTTER BY CG-00, CG-01, CG-93 AND MYSELF, I AM
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE "LEGENDS" CUTTER CLASS AND AM CONFIDENT THAT
THIS CUTTER CLASS WILL USHER IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
EXECUTION AND RESULTS OF THE COAST GUARDS DEEPWATER MISSIONS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
9. RADM GARY T. BLORE, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR ACQUISITION SENDS.
BT