Electronic Navigation on the Coast Guard's Medium-Endurance Cutters

Abstract

To effectively carry out search and rescue, drug enforcement, fisheries enforcement, alien interdiction, and defense operations missions, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Famous class medium endurance cutters require a robust electronic navigation system fully integrated with the ship’s command and control system. The Command and Control Engineering Center (C2CEN) has been working the last three years to develop a fully integrated C2 navigation system built upon the Department of Defense's Defense Information Infrastructure – Common Operating Environment (DII-COE). The Coast Guard's requirements for an integrated navigation system are based on existing mission needs, international standards and specifications for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), and additional standards for warships developed by the U.S. Navy and NATO. The Coast Guard has installed this integrated C2 navigation system on seven cutters. The U.S. Navy has joined the Coast Guard in this development effort and will use the same DII-COE foundation and navigation software for the Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI) scheduled to be installed on over 100 surface ships and for the Navigation Data Distribution and Display (ND 3 ) function of the new Virginia class attack submarines scheduled for launch in 2002. Within the next year, the Coast Guard will have installed its system on 14 Coast Guard cutters. During that same time the Navy plans to install it on two surface ships and one retrofit Los Angeles class attack submarine. Over 150 Coast Guard cutters and Navy vessels will potentially be using this C2 navigation system by 2003. The Coast Guard system incorporates tactical and navigation requirements necessary for the Navy and Coast Guard to meet existing and emerging mission demands. Recognizing the need to go anywhere, anytime, this jointly developed software enables these cutters and ships to fix their position using all available means of navigation, including electronic, visual, or radar methods, on any available chart source. This multifaceted and multi-fueled system enhances the navigation team's ability to effectively carry out any mission, anywhere, and in any weather conditions. By combining efforts with the Navy, the Coast Guard has dramatically reduced costs and provided a multi-mission capable integrated system meeting the diverse needs of both sea services.