Executive Summary
1. The
Coast Guard is widely recognized as having the lead role in America’s
Maritime Homeland Security.
2. The
Coast Guard’s homeland security goal is to ensure the security
and safety of America’s ports, waterways & maritime borders.
3. The
long-term challenge under the New Normalcy is to increase maritime
domain awareness, step up ports, waterways & coastal security
operations & reduce our nation’s vulnerability without losing
focus on other core, but no less important counternarcotics, migrant
interdiction, fisheries enforcement, marine safety & national
defense missions.
Background. America’s Marine Transportation System
(MTS) is an attractive target to terrorists because it is both
valuable & vulnerable. The stats: 95% of non-North American
foreign trade arrives by ship; 8,000 ships make 51,000 U.S. port
calls; 6 million containers enter the country thru 361 major ports;
95,000 miles of coastline; and 6.5 million cruise ship passengers.
The CG’s initial response to Operation Noble Eagle, the Service’s
largest homeland port security operation since WWII (patrolled
ports & coastlines with 55 cutters, 42 aircraft & hundreds
of small boats; recalled 2,700 Reservists; deployed 4 Port Security
Units) demonstrated tremendous surge capacity and flexibility by
rapidly shifting mission focus.
Key Points
Ř Maritime
Homeland Security (MHLS) strategy incorporates our core competencies
into a multi-agency, layered operation to push our maritime borders
outward and detect, deter, disrupt & intercept terrorist threats
across the maritime domain. It incorporates key dimensions of awareness,
prevention, response & consequence management.
Ř The
Coast Guard’s long-term, maritime homeland security strategy focuses
on five principles...
Ř 1. Build
Maritime Domain Awareness (Intelligence). MDA requires the
effective knowledge of activities and elements in the maritime
domain that could represent threats to the safety and security
of US or its citizens. MDA is possessing the information on inbound
ships, cargoes, crews & passengers to separate the good from
the bad, and then concentrating resources to stop the bad.
Ř 2. Ensure
Controlled Movement of High Interest Vessels (Intervention).
Employing Sea Marshals to board HIVs, additional boats & crews
to escort vessels and VTS & NDRSMP to track vessels to reduce
the risk of ships being used as weapons the same as aircraft
were on 9-11.
Ř 3. Enhance
Presence and Response Capability (Interdiction). Establishing
6 Marine Safety & Security Teams with specialized port security/LE
training for surge operations and force multiplier capabilities;
and plus up of Group, MSO & Station personnel and boats to
increase patrols & visibility.
Ř 4. Protect
Critical Infrastructure and Ensure Coast Guard Force Protection (Infrastructure).
Conducting Port Vulnerability Assessments to identify vulnerabilities
in the MTS & critical infrastructure within a Captain of
the Port (COTP) zone. Working with port, facility & ship
owners to protect critical infrastructure; note that owners have
primary responsibility for protecting their facilities.
Ř 5. Increase
Domestic & International Outreach (International/Interagency).
An All Hands evolution – pursuing international standards with
the International Maritime Organization (IMO); participating
with DOD in Homeland Defense plans, developing national border
security strategies with INS, Customs & Border Patrol; bringing
federal, state, local and industry together at port safety committees;
and working with boaters & fishermen to serve as eyes & ears
on the waters – all to ensure the safety and security of the
maritime domain.
Deepwater
provides the Homeland Security solution of a layered defense that
protects our national sovereignty using major cutters, patrol boats
and aircraft capable to detect, intercept and interdict security
threats, preferably on the high seas.
CG
Vision Statement: “The world’s best CG… Ready today… Preparing
for tomorrow.”
Issue
date: 3.21.02 Review date: 8.31.02 Action Officer:
CDR S. LaRochelle Phone: 202-267-0734
