Thematic Analysis for the Loss of Enhanced Imaging Capabilities on Coast Guard MH-65 Search and Rescue Assets

Abstract

This study answers the following research questions: what policies and procedures within United States Coast Guard Acquisitions, as well as external factors, may have contributed to the failed sustainment of the Electro-Optical Sensor System (ESS) and the critical capability it provides? And what process changes could be implemented to prevent similar capability loss? This thematic case analysis explores how the ESS was lost and what acquisition-related decisions and processes ultimately contributed to the removal of the ESS without a viable replacement in hand. It also provides a quantitative analysis of the impact the removal of the ESS had on Coast Guard search and rescue operations. Our findings suggest that the loss of the ESS on the MH-65 was a consequence of the segregation of responsibilities between the program’s acquisitions and its sustainment resulting in the system being overlooked and the Coast Guard being caught unprepared by the end-of-life notification from Teledyne/​FLIR in 2019. This analysis results in initial insights, recommendations, and potential acquisition policy improvements that can be applied to enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to sustain key aviation capabilities long-term and prevent similar scenarios in the future.