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The Coast Guard awarded an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity firm fixed-price contract on June 26, 2024, to Shield AI Inc. of San Diego for unmanned aircraft system capability that can be deployed from Coast Guard cutters.  


The Coast Guard released a request for proposal Dec. 12, 2023, for maritime unmanned aircraft system services capable of deploying from Coast Guard cutters. The full RFP is available here.


The Coast Guard released a draft request for proposal for industry comment for maritime unmanned aircraft system for host cutters. The deadline to comment is July 21, 2023.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The Coast Guard evaluates a V-BAT UAS provided by Shield AI.

The Coast Guard is contracting unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capability as a cost-effective approach to provide a persistent airborne surveillance capability across the national security cutter (NSC) fleet. This approach meets a prescribed operational requirement for the NSC fleet, and use of UAS intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services expands maritime domain awareness and collects actionable intelligence on maritime hazards and threats.

A UAS consists of an unmanned aircraft, its mission payloads, launch and recovery equipment, ground control station and control and data links.

Why this program?

The current acquisition program focuses on UAS capability for the service's NSC fleet, but the 2024 contract could be used to support additional cutter classes in the future. For the NSCs, the Coast Guard requires UAS that can remain on station for extended periods. The contract awarded in 2024 includes flexibility to add additional payloads as well as detect and avoid to further enhance capabilities.

How is the UAS being acquired?

The program focuses on commercially available service technology with a proven track record in the maritime environment. The Coast Guard awarded a contract in June 2018 to Insitu for contractor-owned and -operated UAS capability on three NSCs and options to outfit the rest of the NSC fleet in future years, with a total eight-year period of performance. The Coast Guard executed an accelerated production schedule, completing installation on the first eight NSCs by March 2021. Installation on the ninth NSC, Coast Guard Cutter Stone, was completed in 2023. 

The Coast Guard awarded a second commercial services contract in June 2024 to Shield AI, which will deploy a vertical take-off and landing UAS. This contract has a five-year period of performance. A two-year overlap was included to ensure that UAS services are maintained during the vendor transition.

 

Coast Guard UAS strategy

The Coast Guard is considering employment of additional UAS to augment its aircraft fleets and to expand the surveillance range of surface assets. Building on developmental work by other uniformed services and federal agencies, the Coast Guard is considering cost-effective UAS solutions that meet cutter-based and land-based requirements. 

Cutter-based UAS: Cutter-based UAS are part of the NSC fleet force package, and the Coast Guard is considering adding this capability to other surface assets. 

Land-based UAS: The Coast Guard has validated a mission need for land-based UAS to significantly enhance ocean surveillance in support of the service’s operations. Coast Guard land-based UAS flight crews are jointly operating maritime-variant Predator UAS (Guardian) on maritime missions with Customs and Border Protection to enhance the Coast Guard’s understanding of potential land-based UAS solutions and support the development of a land-based UAS requirements package. 

 

UAS: In the News

2024

June 27, 2024 - Coast Guard awards contract to procure cutter-based unmanned aircraft system capability

2023

Dec. 18, 2023 - Coast Guard releases request for proposal for maritime unmanned aircraft system services

Jan. 25, 2023 - Coast Guard seeks information on UAS capabilities

2022

Aug. 12, 2022 - Coast Guard releases request for information for medium-range unmanned aircraft systems

2021

April 16, 2021 - Coast Guard completes UAS installations on two national security cutters

2020

Nov. 12, 2020 - sUAS for NSC continues accelerated production schedule

March 18, 2020 - Small UAS for NSC acquisition reaches milestone

2018

June 7, 2018 - Coast Guard Awards Contract To Procure Small UAS Capability For National Security Cutter

Feb. 8, 2018 - Coast Guard Releases Request For Proposal To Procure Small UAS For National Security Cutters

Jan. 29, 2018 - Small Unmanned Aircraft System Assists National Security Cutter Drug Interdictions

2017

Oct. 23, 2017 - Small UAS For NSC Acquisition Proceeds To Next Phase

Sept. 20, 2017 - Small Unmanned Aircraft System Assists Stratton Drug Interdictions

Aug. 30, 2017 - Coast Guard Releases Request For Information For Long-range And Ultra-long Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems

April 4, 2017 - Acquisition Update: Stratton Completes First Deployment With Small UAS

March 29, 2017 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Invites Industry Feedback On Small UAS Draft Request For Proposal

Feb. 10, 2017 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Members Complete Small Unmanned Aircraft System Training

Jan. 12, 2017 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Conducts Small Unmanned Aircraft System Testing On Cutter Stratton

2016

Oct. 11, 2016 - Coast Guard Begins Small Unmanned Aircraft System Installation On Cutter Stratton

June 28, 2016 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Selects Small UAS For NSC

2015

July 7, 2015 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard RDC Conducts RAMPS Demonstration

2014

Dec. 18, 2014 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Continues UAS Research With Joint Fire Scout Demonstration

Dec. 8, 2014 - Coast Guard RDC Evaluates Unmanned Aircraft System From NSC

April 2014 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Concludes Last Phase of Small Unmanned Aircraft System Demonstration

2013

July 2013 - Acquisition Update: Coast Guard Nets Historic Drug Interdiction During Most Recent Phase of Unmanned Aircraft System Technology Demonstrations

 

                     Unmanned Systems Strategic Plan


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