Planning for Coast Guard Mobilization Under Navy Command in Wartime

A survey of planning for Coast Guard mobilization under Navy command in wartime was concerned with the: (1) adequacy of Navy plans for use of Coast Guard assets in other than normal peacetime roles; (2) readiness of Coast Guard equipment with potential Navy wartime missions; and (3) readiness of Coast Guard personnel to perform wartime missions. On the basis of information available, it appeared that the Navy was planning to use only certain specific Coast Guard vessels in wartime roles and had not adequately considered the potential wartime use of other Coast Guard assets. Among the actions the Navy initiated to more fully evaluate the potential wartime role of the Coast Guard and to improve interservice coordination was a study to identify wartime and contingency tasks that may be assigned to the Coast Guard and to determine how much and what kinds of equipment should be provided by the Navy. The cost-effectiveness of each Coast Guard improvement program will be looked at in two ways: (1) to determine if it is more effective for the Navy to provide equipment to the Coast Guard or to spend the same money on Navy-manned and operated systems; and (2) to address the cost-effectiveness of each weapon system to the Coast Guard in carrying out peacetime missions. The study will also address the adequacy of the Navy logistics system to support weapons systems proposed for the Coast Guard, but the study will not address the extent to which the Navy should be involved, in peacetime, in planning and monitoring programs affecting wartime readiness.