Exploring the Potential use of Long-Range Unmanned Aerial Systems to Address Capability Gaps in the United States Coast Guard

Abstract

There is a growing threat to international order, specifically in the maritime environment. The United States Coast Guard (USCG), with its unique authorities, is perfectly positioned to respond to these threats in means that can avoid undesired conflict. Increased mission demand for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance coupled with an ever-aging fleet of aircraft, reveal an expanding capability gap in the USCG’s resources. There is an opportunity for the USCG to leverage the capabilities of current and future unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which can be strategically utilized in specific, key mission sets to augment the service’s existing and evolving fleet. By utilizing Department of Defense acquisition frameworks and methods, a standardized approach is employed to analyze the potential benefits and costs of adding UAS capabilities into the USCG’s aviation portfolio, which includes a capabilities based assessment (CBA), DOTmLPF-P analysis, and an analysis of alternatives (AoA). The study found that a capability gap of approximately 13,000 flight hours will come about in the next decade. This gap can be met with commercial materiel UAS solutions that are able to provide persistent surveillance and detection abilities in contested maritime environments.