Coast Guard Maritime Security in the Underwater Domain

Abstract

The Coast Guard serves as the primary agency responsible for maritime domain awareness (MDA) and transportation security under the Department of Homeland Security through the Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS) mission. While significant investments have been made in recent years for surface and air assets along with increased command and control capabilities, little has been done to expand the PWCS mission to the underwater domain. This thesis examines the need for the Coast Guard to develop MDA in the underwater domain. This is accomplished by applying the fundamental processes from capability gap analysis and analysis of alternatives (AoA), as would be necessary for initiating the acquisition process. Through the gap analysis and AoA processes, the organization is able to determine whether an operational need truly exists, whether current or emerging technology is available to support a materiel solution, and whether there is the appropriate level of investment. Ultimately, the intent of this thesis is to determine whether the Coast Guard has a validated capability gap, and what opportunities exist to close the gap.