Create a free starter account, or log in.

Get access to four free articles per month, as well as our Decisive Edge Newsletters and Daily News Bulletin.

Email Address

Password

Forgot your password? Reset by clicking here

Create a Password

[[ req.met ? '✓' : '•' ]] [[ req.text ]]

Re-enter Password

Passwords do not match

First Name

Last Name

Country

Confirm your account

Please enter the four-digit pin below that has been emailed to you.

Didn't receive the pin yet?

This pin expires in 20 minutes.

[[ error ]]

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Stay informed with Shephard's award-winning journalism. Unlock unlimited access and in-depth analysis with a corporate or individual subscription.

Explore your options here

US Coast Guard faces the “greatest readiness challenge since World War II”, says Homeland Security Secretary

13th May 2025 - 11:35 GMT | by Flavia Camargos Pereira in Kansas City

RSS

The USCG Polar Star cutter. (Photo: US Coast Guard)

The service currently has diverse problems in its procurement programmes and capability gaps in its inventory, writes Shephard’s North America editor Flavia Camargos Pereira.

Delays and over costs in multiple US Coast Guard (USCG) acquisition and development programmes, alongside a growing demand for the branch’s support in law enforcement and board control missions, have caused concern for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

During a hearing at the Senate Committee on Appropriations last week, Kristi Noem, Secretary of the US DHS, stated the branch was “a central pillar of American national security and power projection” and confronts “the greatest readiness crisis since World War II”.

“As a military service and law enforcement organisation, the Coast Guard faces a unique set of operational challenges and opportunities,

Already have an account? Log in