Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
PO1 Sara Mooers: The California-based crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche began their
first Alaska patrol this week.
Waesche is the second of three commissioned National Security Cutters, designed to perform
in any theater of the world. They can embark two MH-65 Dolphin helicopters and have three
small boats. With a crew of 109 to 143 depending on mission.
Waesche has an endurance of 60 days at a time and is named for Russell Waesche, the Coast
Guard commandant during World War II.
Capt. John McKinley: Our four-month patrol in Alaska here is Alaska will do a variety
of things, everything from up in the Arctic as well as living marine resources enforcement
and search and rescue and again just being a presence in the Bering Sea.
As we have the opportunity to get ashore in the local communities in Alaska, certainly
we'll engage the local governance bodies there as well as the Alaska Native populations.
Again just to interact and build those relationships for the long term.
We have some folks that are previous Alaska sailors. We've been everywhere from Southeast
Asia to the South Pacific to here in the northern regions of the West Coast. Again it just proves
the capabilities of this class of ship and the Coast Guard's reach as far as being a
worldwide maritime service.
PO1 Sara Mooers: Waesche will operate in Alaska with an embarked MH-65 Dolphin helicopter
from Air Station Kodiak.
Capt. John McKinley: Well they certainly expand our capabilities, our eyes and ears in the
air. We'll use them to extend our surveillance operations as far as being able to see out
further than the cutter can itself with our organic sensors.
Again their a critical part of the team and I expect that they'll be a very key element
particularly as we get up into the Arctic to be able to search out ahead of us.
The crew are just very excited to get back up here in Alaskan waters, bring the Waesche
here and show the capabilities of not just the ship but the incredible crew that we have.