The first national security cutter, Bertholf, completed four days of builder's trials in the Gulf of Mexico(Image From Navy Times)
Coast Guard Denies Cutter Allegations -- The Danger Room
In April, the Coast Guard's national security cutter, Bertholf, passed a tough Navy inspection, despite earlier questions about the ship's readiness. That raised the suspicions of outside observers -- including our own David Axe. Sources close to the program told him that key communications gear was removed from the vessel, prior to the Bertholf's inspection. Officials at the Coast Guard say they were never given a proper opportunity to respond to those allegations. So I asked the Coast Guard a series of questions about the Bertholf's controversial test. Here's the response, from Rear Admiral Gary Blore, the Coast Guard's Chief Acquisition Officer:
Danger Room: Congressional investigators say that the U.S. Coast Guard "accepted delivery" of the Bertholf despite "deficiencies in the classified C4ISR [Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance] systems." These investigators add that "parts of these systems" were "removed prior to Navy final testing and USCG acceptance." Why were these systems removed? Who removed them? Were they later re-installed?
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