USCG Atlantic Area’s reliance on creaking cutters shows scale of recapitalisation
With nearly a third of the USCG’s Atlantic Area cutter force having been in service for more than 50 years, senior officials have repeatedly called for recapitalisation efforts to modernise a fleet creaking at the seams.
The USCG splits its fleet into two main forces, the Atlantic Area and Pacific Area, with the former the larger of the two and is heavily dependent on older vessels. Of the 26 Medium Endurance Cutter hulls in Atlantic Area service, 11 are of the older Reliance class and commissioned between 1964-1969, while 13 belong to the Famous class, commissioned between 1982-1991.
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