Homeland Security Archives - Defense Daily

Coast Guard Plans R&D Effort With Lockheed Martin To Assess HPMs To Stop Small Boats

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 19 May 2026 18:02:39 +0000

The Coast Guard plans to work with Lockheed Martin [LMT] to evaluate and test high power microwave (HPM) effectors that would temporarily disable the engines or support electronics of small […]

Coast Guard Finalizes $3.5 Billion Contract With Davie For Five Icebreakers

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:20:26 +0000

The Coast Guard on Wednesday said it has finalized a $3.5 billion contract it awarded Davie Defense in February for five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), the first of which will […]

Pentagon Selects Locations For Directed Energy Counter-Drone Pilots To Accelerate Fielding

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 07 May 2026 03:52:09 +0000

The Defense Department’s counter-drone task force on Wednesday evening announced that five U.S. locations have been selected to begin a pilot program later this year to assess the use of […]

Coast Guard Scaling Use Of Counter-Drone Systems For Homeland, Forward Operations

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:57:08 +0000

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—The Coast Guard is moving from limited uses of counter-drone systems to a broader use of the technology in the homeland and aboard its cutters, service officials said […]

Trump Wants Second Reconciliation Bill On His Desk By June 1

Matthew Beinart — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:28:08 +0000

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Congress to pass and send a second reconciliation bill to his desk by June 1. The deadline follows congressional Republicans’ backing a pursuit […]

Coast Guard Expanding Use Of V-BAT UAS To Land Operations

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:17:22 +0000

The Coast Guard in January began land-based deployments of its V-BAT unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which are typically used aboard the service’s fleet of National Security Cutters (NSCs) for operations […]

Coast Guard Awards Davie Defense $3.5 Billion Contract For Five Arctic Security Cutters

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:18:04 +0000

The Coast Guard on Wednesday said it has awarded the Davie Defense, Inc., a contract for the final five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), three of which will be built in […]

Coast Guard Looks To Sunset Dolphin Helicopter Early, Light and Medium Icebreakers To Be Built in U.S., Commandant Says

Rich Abott — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:33:35 +0000

The Commandant of the Coast Guard on Thursday said the service is looking to “sunset” its aging HH-65 Dolphin helicopters before 2037 as previously planned and confirmed new small and […]

Coast Guard Establishes Rapid Prototyping Office

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:40:28 +0000

As part of initiative launched earlier this year to boost the Coast Guard’s resources to enlarge the service and make it more agile and responsive, the service last Friday announced […]

DHS Official Sees Path To Boosting Buys Of Coast Guard NSCs, OPCs and Future Arctic Cutter

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:17:06 +0000

The Coast Guard has a need for more surface assets than currently planned and sees a path forward to expand its fleet, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said […]

DHS Creates Program Executive Office for Drone and Counter-Drone Systems

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:34:05 +0000

To further sharpen its focus on the purchase of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and counter-drone solutions, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established a new program executive office (PEO) […]

Coast Guard Awards $3.3 Billion In Polar Icebreaker Contracts To Bollinger And Rauma

Rich Abott — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 19:15:02 +0000

The Coast Guard on Monday announced it awarded two contracts covering up to six new Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) icebreakers to Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions and Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards, the […]

Coast Guard Official Gives Rough Outline For Spending OBBBA Funds On Unmanned Systems

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 21:53:17 +0000

The Coast Guard’s priority for $350 million in budget reconciliation funds Congress approved earlier this year is for long-range unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) followed by unmanned surface vessels, a service […]

Davie Defense Completes Acquisition Of Texas-Based Shipyards

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:56:28 +0000

Davie Defense on Wednesday said it has completed its acquisition of Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp.’s shipbuilding assets in Texas, which will support the Coast Guard’s future Arctic Security Cutter […]

GAO Points To Continued Challenges With Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 21:45:57 +0000

Both shipbuilders constructing the Coast Guard’s future fleet of Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) continue to face challenges with their respective designs, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported on Nov. 25, […]

Pending Multiple Award DHS-Wide Counter-Drone Contract Worth $1.5 Billion

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 21:12:27 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last Friday evening released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a multiple award contract worth up to $1.5 billion that its components and agencies […]

U.S., Canada And Finland Emphasize Icebreaker Workforce Development In New Statement

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:34:59 +0000

A key focus in 2026 of a trilateral icebreaker development and construction effort will be workforce development, signatories to the year-old framework between the U.S., Canada and Finland said last […]

CISA Issues Guidelines To Lower Risks Of Drone Threats To Critical Infrastructure

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:25:19 +0000

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a package of guidelines to assist owners and operators of critical infrastructure to mitigate of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) including suggestions […]

DoD Working To Integrate Counter-Drone Network Along Southern Border

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 21:42:55 +0000

To combat the use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by drug cartels and others along the U.S. southern border, the Defense Department is working to create an integrated sensor […]

DHS Hosting Competition For Counter-Drone Capabilities And Services

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:49:47 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a draft solicitation outlining an upcoming competition for counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) solutions and services for enterprise-wide applications. The department’s procurement office and […]

Coast Guard Awards GD’s Gulfstream Unit $172 Million For Command And Control Aircraft

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:00:10 +0000

The Coast Guard last week said it awarded Gulfstream Aerospace a contract for new long-range command and control aircraft that are used by the secretary of homeland security and senior […]

White House Reports Deal For 11 Polar Icebreakers, Selecting Bollinger and Foreign Shipyards

Rich Abott — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 19:15:22 +0000

The White House last Thursday announced a multi-billion dollar deal that will see Bollinger Shipyards and Canada’s Davie Shipbuilding partner with foreign shipbuilders to construct up to 11 new medium-polar […]

Coast Guard Plans To Spend $350 Million On Robotics And Autonomous Systems

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:49:28 +0000

Drawing on nearly $25 billion in funding provided the service in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Coast Guard on Wednesday said it will invest $350 million on robotics […]

DIU Seeks Non-Lethal Solutions To Thwart Small Watercraft In Homeland Waters

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 20:30:06 +0000

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), working with the Department of Homeland Security, on Tuesday issued a solicitation seeking non-lethal solutions to disrupt or disable non-compliant vessels and small watercraft attempting […]

Coast Guard Taps Beautiful Bill Funds To Award Bollinger Contract For 10 FRCs

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:39:12 +0000

The Coast Guard on Wednesday said has awarded $507 million to Bollinger Shipyards to begin construction of 10 more Fast Response Cutters (FRCs), bringing the total program to 77 vessels. […]

Austal USA Awarded Long-Lead Options For Three Offshore Patrol Cutters

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:43:06 +0000

The Coast Guard has awarded Austal USA $314 million in options to purchase long-lead time materials for three more Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), bringing to six the number of medium-endurance […]

Coast Guard Needs More Counter-UAS Capabilities As Use Of Drones Expands

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 21:18:56 +0000

The increasing use of aerial drones by adversaries, cartels, and the clueless and careless means the Coast Guard needs to expand its use of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) on its […]

Coast Guard’s First Robotics PEO Planning Rapid Acceleration Of Acquisitions

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 19:33:47 +0000

The Coast Guard’s new, and first, program executive officer overseeing the lifecycle of the service’s efforts to develop, acquire, and maintain unmanned systems said he plans to dramatically decrease timelines […]

Coast Guard Stands Up PEO For Robotics And Autonomous Systems

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:33:02 +0000

As called for in a new plan to reorganize and transform the Coast Guard for the future, the service has established a Program Executive Office (PEO) for unmanned systems to […]

Coast Guard Orders Second Offshore Patrol Cutter From Austal

Rich Abott — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 21:30:54 +0000

The Coast Guard on July 31 exercised a $273 million contract option with Austal USA to start construction on its second Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and acquire long-lead material on […]

V-BAT UAS Ready For Deployment With Coast Guard After Successful Testing

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 21:20:24 +0000

The V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has successfully complete operational test and evaluation with the Coast Guard, clearing the way for the service to begin employing the drones aboard its […]

Bollinger Brings On Canadian, Finnish Partners To Pursue Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutter

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 20:59:26 +0000

Bollinger Shipyards on Tuesday said it has formed an international partnership to pursue the Coast Guard’s new medium polar icebreaker program, emphasizing a low-risk offering with a production-ready design from […]

BREAKING: Noem Terminates Eastern Shipbuilding’s Work For Third And Fourth OPCs

Cal Biesecker — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 17:48:25 +0000

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last Friday said she has canceled Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s work for the final two Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) under the company’s contract with the Coast […]

Coast Guard Seeks Sources For Interim Long-Range C2 Plane That Also Serves DHS Chief

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:14:59 +0000

The Coast Guard last Thursday issued a source sought notice to help it survey the market for a potential lease of a Gulfstream jet that could be used as one […]

House Panel Wants Coast Guard To Examine UAS For Its Medium Endurance Cutters

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:45:49 +0000

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week introduced a bill that would direct the Coast Guard to study deploying unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) it uses on its fleet of […]

U.S. Warns DIB Companies Of Potential Iranian Cyber Activity

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 20:01:20 +0000

U.S. defense companies, in particular those working with Israeli companies, should be alert for potential malicious activities being committed by Iranian entities, U.S. government agencies warned on Monday. The warning […]

DHS Hosting Industry Tech Challenge For Remote Identity Validation

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:07:15 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate this year is hosting a technology challenge for vendors to test their capabilities to remotely verify the authenticity of identity […]

House Appropriators Approve $66 Billion DHS Bill For FY ‘26

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:09:31 +0000

Following a lengthy session Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, sending the $66.4 billion bill to the full House […]

House Panel Approves $66.4 Billion DHS Bill For FY ’26 On Party Line Vote

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:57:57 +0000

The House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee on Monday evening approved a $66.4 billion discretionary budget for the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2026, 4 percent above the Trump […]

House Panel Slashes Funding For Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:48:23 +0000

House appropriators on Sunday evening released a proposed funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that would hack 35 percent from the Coast Guard’s troubled Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) […]

Acting Coast Guard Commandant Wants More Counter-Drone Capacity

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 18:43:40 +0000

The Coast Guard has some, but not enough, capacity for countering drone threats to the homeland from maritime approaches, the acting commandant of the service said last week. The Coast […]

Final Coast Guard National Security Cutter Canceled

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 21:02:10 +0000

After construction was halted on last one of 11 National Security Cutters (NSCs) last fall, the Coast Guard and shipbuilder HII [HII] have agreed to end construction after 10 ships […]

Coast Guard’s Commercial Icebreaker Begins Maiden Voyage

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:06:28 +0000

The Coast Guard’s newly acquired commercial icebreaker departed the shipyard June 3 on its maiden voyage, the service said on Wednesday. The Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) was acquired […]

Coast Guard’s New Force Design Calls For Integrated Maritime Surveillance Capability

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 22 May 2025 21:01:29 +0000

A new blueprint that restructures the Coast Guard’s organization also puts a focus on technology advancement, directing the service to develop an integrated sensor and command and control network that […]

CBP Upgrading Mobile Surveillance Systems With Radar From SRC To Improve Border Security

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:55:20 +0000

Benchmark Electronics [BHE] is upgrading its Mobile Video Surveillance Systems [MVSS] with a radar provided by SRC to increase range and add autonomy for border security operations. Customs and Border […]

Acting CBP Chief Credits DoD’s Expanded Role At Border With Helping Stem Illegal Activity

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 15 May 2025 18:12:53 +0000

The surge Defense Department equipment and personnel to the southern border to help staunch the flow of illegal crossings and related activity has played an important role in the Trump […]

Coast Guard Pulled National Security Cutter From Planned Pacific Patrol To Support Border Surge

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 14 May 2025 20:57:12 +0000

To help it meet President Trump’s directive for the U.S. government to achieve operational control of the southern border, the acting Coast Guard Commandant said he changed plans for one […]

Administration’s ‘Skinny Budget’ Request For DHS Relies On Reconciliation For Boost

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 02 May 2025 20:33:35 +0000

The Trump administration last Friday released the broad outlines of its fiscal year 2026 funding budget request, proposing a 65 percent increase for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that […]

Coast Guard Approved For Full Production Of First Polar Security Cutter

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 01 May 2025 20:07:26 +0000

Following a decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in late December allowing the Coast Guard to move forward with limited production of a new heavy polar icebreaker, the […]

House Transportation Panel Approves $22 Billion In New Coast Guard Funds

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:31:06 +0000

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday approved its portion of a Republican reconciliation bill that includes more than $22 billion in funding for the Coast Guard, most of […]