2005 – Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina, one of the largest natural disasters in our nation’s history, was chosen for inclusion in the Coast Guard Aviation History Timeline because it illustrates both the capabilities of the United States Coast Guard and its operational principles that promote leadership, accountability, and delegation of authority to qualified personnel at the […]

2005 – Coast Guard Acquires the C-143A Medium Range Command and Control Aircraft C-143A The C-143A is a Challenger CL-604 aircraft, which was acquired by the Coast Guard in December 2005 as its new Medium Range Command and Control Aircraft (MRC2A). It provides support exclusively for the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and […]

2003 – Airborne Use of Force – Coast Guard Arms HH-65C and HH-60J   Helicopters In 1998 the U.S. Coast Guard established a unit known as HITRON-10 to test and evaluate airborne use of force (AUF) as a means of interdicting and stopping the high speed smuggling boats known as ‘go-fasts.” Tactics were developed using […]

2003 – Coast Guard Units Deploy During the Iraq War n late 2002, at the request of the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard began preparations for mission specific duties in support of military operations in and around Iraq. The Coast Guard sent two 378 foot WHEC cutters with aviation detachments, a sea-going buoy tender, […]

2003 – Coast Guard Transferred to the Department of   Homeland Security The President of the United States signed into law the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which created the Department of Homeland Security. Under this legislation, the U.S. Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of Transportation to the new Department on March 1 […]

2002 – The Coast Guard Aviation Transformation Plan In August of 2002, during the ceremony making the contract award for the Integrated Deepwater System, (IDS), Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thomas H. Collins described the critical need to upgrade and modernize the service’s force of cutters, aerial platforms, and support systems. He stressed that the Coast […]

2002 – Coast Guard Acquires the C-37A Long Range Command and Control Aircraft The C-37A, a Gulfstream V, was acquired in the second quarter of 2002 to serve as long range command-and-control aircraft that can be used to provide transportation for high-level Coast Guard and government officials. The C-37 is fully capable of long range […]

2002 – Initial Contracts for the Deepwater Project Awarded The Deputy  Secretary of  Transportation, Michael  P. Jackson,  joined  by  U. S. Coast Guard Commandant Thomas H. Collins, on June 25, 2002, announced  the  award  of an  initial contract  valued  at $11.04 billion for a fleet  of new ships  and  aircraft, plus  improved command and control systems, […]

2001 – Drug Interdiction in the Eastern Pacific Transit Zone Off-loading cocaine from the CGC Steadfast at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica, Dec. 2, 2007 Transit Zone drug interdiction had been de-emphasized in deference to source country operations. Through the efforts of Admiral Kramek, who was Commandant of the Coast Guard and also Coordinator for Drug […]

2001 – Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) Established MH-68A Stingrays The United States Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) seizures and set the stage for the continued airborne use of force in maritime drug interdiction efforts.  Due to the success during the test and evaluation stage, the HITRON program was validated and […]