Guest Posts by Capt Jim Knight (CO of the Project Resident Office Gulf Coast) and Capt Lance Bardo (Prospective CO of WAESCHE)
WAESCHE (WMSL-751), the second National Security Cutter, just returned from builder's sea trials. Her strong performance during these trials warranted sharing with as many Coast Guardsmen as possible. I have to take this opportunity to get true, first hand information to the most important customers of Project Resident Office (PRO) Gulf Coast - the deck plate sailors.
Having builder's trials experience with the 210 MMA, 378 FRAM, 225 WLBs, Great Lakes Icebreaker, and NSC 1, I can say with confidence that WAESCHE performed well on her builder's trials. The PRO Gulf Coast staff and the contractor have worked hard to incorporate the lessons learned from NSC 1 into the design of WAESCHE. The fruits of this investment were realized on this trial. The maturity of the systems and software exceeded my expectations and WAESCHE performed well in all mission areas including C4, Navigation, stern launch and recovery of the small boat and full power trials. The WAESCHE crew also conducted very well executed live fire tests of the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and 57mm gun system.
It is important to keep in mind that the purpose of builder's trials is for the contractor to operate the ship for the very first time and identify items requiring additional work prior to presenting the ship to the Coast Guard for Acceptance Trials. Although builder's trials are a contractor's event, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding makes space available for PRO Gulf Coast personnel to sail onboard and help them see the ship through their customer's eyes.
To make sure that we are thorough, PRO Gulf Coast utilizes subject area experts from our own staff, Surface Forces Logistics Center, WAESCHE crew, STRATTON (NSC 3) crew, USN Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast, Naval Warfare Center and others. So yes, the nearly 200 government and contractor personnel on the ship generated a sizable work list during the week at sea. That was, after all, our job. There is nothing insurmountable on this list however. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding is very motivated to complete all work prior to acceptance trials even though there are an additional five weeks between acceptance trials and actual cutter delivery.
The performance of WAESCHE on builder's trials bodes well for the ability to deliver a cutter with solid operational capability. We are now applying lessons learned from the actual construction of USCGC BERTHOLF and WAESCHE to the shipyard processes used to build STRATTON, which is now over 20% complete, in order to reduce the time it takes to get these ships to you. We will continue to look for new ways to provide the quality ships you deserve as quickly as we can. Until then, stay focused and keep your shipmates safe.
Capt Jim Knight
Commanding Officer
USCG PRO Gulf Coast
Pascagoula, MS
If this is what going to sea for the next generation is going to look like, I am envious of the future generation of cuttermen. WAESCHE's "not quite finished" propulsion, C4I, navigation, and deck systems are a quantum leap from the cutters I have been sailing for the last 15 years. The ship is smart, handles well, and has capabilities we have only just begun to understand.
The ship's performance during Builder's Trials was exceptional - beyond my expectations and by all accounts significantly better than NSC 1's Builder's Trials experience. While problems do continue to exist with the machinery control system, the C4ISR systems, the boat launch and recovery system and other mechanical systems, they are "normal" for Builder's Trials and far improved from the same system problems encounters during NSC 1's Builder's Trials and Acceptance Trials. The Builder's Trials included a 48 hour brief stop for repairs to a critical medium pressure air compressor system - that is a known vulnerability caused by the demands of a dehydrator for the electronic warfare suite and the decision to return to port for repairs was a good risk management decision.
The goal to identify as many of the punch list type discrepancies as possible was also realized, placing us in a good position to resolve many of them before Acceptance Trials.
I was particularly pleased by the combined efforts of the Coast Guard Project Resident Office and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to work through a number of issues in an intense period of trials. All were clearly focused on getting us the best product possible.
There is a huge amount of work left to complete the ship before Acceptance Trials and I am confident that the continued teamwork of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, the PRO, CG-93 and my crew will be successful in getting us the best ship possible at the earliest opportunity. I am confident we will have a delivery ready cutter following Acceptance Trials the week of 28 Sept and the crew of WAESCHE is ready to put her to sea.
CAPT Lance Bardo
Prospective Commanding Officer
WAESCHE (WMSL-751)
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