Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background & Issues

The Integrated Deepwater Systems (IDS) program, or Deepwater program for short, is a $24-billion, 25-year project to replace and modernise the Coast Guard’s ageing fleet of deepwater-capable ships and aircraft. It is the largest and most complex acquisition effort in Coast Guard history, encompassing 91 new cutters, 124 new small surface craft, and 244 new or converted aeroplanes, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Deepwater program has received a total of about $4.4 billion through FY2007, including about $1.14 billion in FY2007. For FY2008, the Coast Guard requested $836.9 million in new appropriations and the rescission of $48.8 million in prior-year appropriations for the program, for a net total request of $788.1 million. This new book presents an in-depth analysis of the program and its significance.