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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - The Navy’s newest littoral combat ship, the future USS Coronado (LCS 4), en route to Coronado, Calif., stopped over in Guantanamo Bay. While the soon-to-be commissioned vessel is undergoing sea trials and refueling at Guantanamo Bay, its visit provided the Coast Guard and Navy units here with an opportunity to work together.
The Maritime Security Detachment (MARSECDET) Port Security Unit 301’s primary mission is to ensure the defense of the Naval Defensive Area (NDSA) and the Seaside approaches to the detention facilities at Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Naval Station (NAVSTA) harbor patrol provides force protection within Guantanamo Bay and will respond to any law enforcement missions.
Since no vessels are allowed to enter the NDSA or the bay without the expressed approval of NAVSTA, the two units must communicate effectively to ensure any vessels approaching the NDSA or attempting to enter the NDSA are properly vetted prior to entry.
“MARSECDET provided an escort of the Pre-Commissioned Unit (PCU) Coronado as she made her way through the NDSA into the Bay. As a U.S. warship, all vessels must stay clear at least 500 yards away from her as she transits,” said Chief Petty Officer Scott Duckworth, the Waterside Security Chief. “We enforced and maintained that clear area, or security zone as she passed through the NDSA. As she reached the entrance to GB, USN Harbor Patrol assumed the escort and brought her dockside.”
A U.S. warship is a type of high value asset (HVA), which needs protection when coming into a restricted area.
“When an HVA is in open water, it has a lot more options for defending itself,” said Chief Petty Officer Wayne Gibson. “When you bring an HVA into a restricted port, that’s when potentially small vessels could come along-side and do some type of terrorist activity.”
Gibson explains that it’s important for an HVA to have a small craft escort when entering a narrower field of operations in the event a smaller unidentified boat is approaching a high-value asset, the security vessels would engage that target before it had an opportunity to come alongside the HVA.
“That’s why you have that two-layer escort or a layered defense,” said Gibson. “That extra level of protection so you can engage small craft that may have intent to do harm to the high value asset.”
Communication between the Joint Task Force’s MARSECDET and NAVSTA is key. They must respond jointly when assistance is requested, whether escorting for a refueling visit or responding to a suspicious vessel.
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 02.20.2014 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 120914 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 333 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Navy, Coast Guard patrols escort Coronado into Guantanamo Bay, by SFC Carmen Fleischmann, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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