Naval Advocates Face Pivotal Re-Election Battles

Sea Power, Oct 2006 by Scully, Megan

Leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees struck a historic provision from the Senate's version of the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill that would have promoted the three-star chief of the National Guard Bureau to a four-star general.

The "Big Four" Republican and Democratic leaders of the two panels instead agreed to push that decision onto the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, which will issue recommendations on an array of issues involving the military's reserve component next year.

At press time, work on the defense authorization conference report had not been wrapped up, but it appeared the decision to nix the Senate's Guard provision would be in the final report.

The decision amounts to a striking defeat for dozens of bipartisan National Guard leaders on Capitol Hill who have been working fervently to increase the Guard's position of power in the Pentagon.

Coast Guard Orders Covert Aircraft

The Coast Guard is acquiring the RU-38B reconnaissance aircraft. Manufactured by Schweizer Aircraft Corp., Horseheads, N.Y., the RU-38B is a manned aircraft with turbine engines fore and aft that operates covertly. The twin-engine configuration allows the aft engine to be shut down during its "quiet" surveillance mode. Additionally, the RU-38B releases jet exhaust across the top of the aircraft to lower its in-flight signature.

The gray-blue color of the RU-38B makes the aircraft difficult to see even during daylight at its typical surveillance altitude of 2,000 feet.

Schweizer and the Coast Guard were unable to comment on the cost, number of planes or delivery date for the aircraft due to ongoing contract negotiations.

The Coast Guard is purchasing the planes in a joint procurement with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the number of planes has yet to be determined. Current funding for the planes is $24 million for the Coast Guard and $14 million for CBP.

The Coast Guard used RU-38Bs in 1998-1999 in support of drug interdiction operations over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. The program was halted in mid-2000 due to problems with aircraft serviceability.

Deputy IG Gives USCG Mixed Review

The Coast Guard is doing a better job of achieving mission goals, though there remains room for improvement. Moreover, the lack of resources, such as aircraft and cutters, means it has a limited ability to respond to extended crises, according to a report to Congress by a deputy inspector general (IG) for the Department of Homeland security.

In 2005, the service achieved five of six non-homeland security goals, such as search-and-rescue missions and protection of marine resources, said the deputy IG, Edward M. Stulginsky. However, that year it met only two of four homeland security goals, which included the interdiction of migrants and dealing with foreign vessel incursions. Over the five-year period ending in 2005, the service was less successful in attaining all of its goals, he said.

During a Sept. 14 hearing, Stulginsky told the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Coast Guard deployed more than one-third of its aviation assets to the Gulf Coast, which depleted the resources available for other missions.