Coast Guard Modernizes Acquisition System

WASHINGTON --- A newly transformed Coast Guard directorate has reached its full operating capability in recent weeks, working to modernize the services acquisition system and build its operational assets for the 21st century, a senior officer said today.>> Coast Guard Rear Adm. Gary Blore, assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisitions officer, participated in a roundtable discussion with online journalists concerning the Coast Guards modernized acquisition program.>> The Acquisition Directorate manages all major Coast Guard acquisition projects. Among the 22 major projects now under way are the HC-144A Ocean Sentry, a medium range surveillance aircraft, the Response Boat-Medium and the flagship of the Coast Guards new fleet, the National Security Cutter.>> The first National Security Cutter, Bertholf, is operating off the West Coast, Blore said. Waesche, the second such cutter, has been christened, and fabrication work has started on a third, named Stratton. The National Security Cutter is the largest and most technically advanced cutter to be built for the Coast Guard, he said.>> Blore said four boats in the Response Boat-Medium program have been delivered, and that a new facility that officially opened yesterday in Green Bay, Wis., will allow us to go to a full operating capability on that project of about 30 boats per year until we get to 180 boats.>> The modernized acquisition program will allow the Coast Guard to mitigate many of the potential problems that can occur during a major acquisition project, Blore said. The Fast Response Cutter project will be a fixed-priced contract to control costs, and the Coast Guard will have personnel on site to be directly involved with the manufacturer throughout the project, he said.