Like most other Coast Guard capital assets in 2002-2012 timeframe, their rotary wing fleet was part of a massive recapitalization effort known as the " Integrated Deepwater System Program ." Planning for the effort dates back to the late 1990s and included new cutters, rescue boats, fixed-wing planes, and helicopters. In 2002, the Coast Guard awarded the Deepwater contract to a joint venture between Lockheed-Martin and Northrop-Grumman.
Six months earlier, the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred, elevating the concern over national security. Take a look at Simple Flying's additional Coast Guard resources Many aspects of national security, including the Coast Guard, became targets for evaluation. Whereas some Government agencies disliked people nosing around their business, the Coast Guard was the exact opposite.
The Coast Guard's chronic underfunding was well known. They were always prepared to discuss their unfunded priorities. The Coast Guard waited decades for someone to ask them: "So, what do you need?" This came to pass following 9/11 when the Deepwater Program came into focus.
The Coast Guard was ready with all of the information that anyone could ever want. You can summarize the Coast Guard's plight thusly: "We, who have done so much, for so long, with so little, are now qualified to do everything with nothing!" In the 21st Century, the U.S.
Coast Guard operates two types of helicopters; they replaced the fleet of 40 worn-out, Sikorsky HH-3F "Pelican" search and rescue hel.
