Community Corner
New Coast Guard Cutter Arrives In San Francisco Bay
The Fast Response Cutter Robert Ward is part of the Coast Guard's modernization program.
ALAMEDA, CA — The Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward, the second California-based 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, arrived in San Francisco Bay Friday. It is scheduled to conduct operational exercises in San Francisco Bay on Wednesday between 9:30 and 11 a.m. that will demonstrate capabilities of the ship.
"We are thrilled to welcome the Robert Ward and her crew to the Bay Area," said Capt. Tony Ceraolo, the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco commander and San Francisco Captain of the Port. "This new cutter brings a wealth of capabilities to the California coast, including search and rescue, law enforcement and drug interdiction. We're looking forward to commissioning the cutter right here in San Francisco next week."
The cutter has a crew of 24, a range of 2,500 miles and is equipped for patrols up to five days. It will be homeported in Long Beach but will operate off the entire coast of California and international waters off of Mexico and Central America.
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FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment as well as over-the-horizon response boat deployment capability and improved habitability for the crew. The ships can reach speeds of 28 knots and are equipped to coordinate operations with partner agencies and long-range Coast Guard assets such as the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters.
The new FRCs are part of the Coast Guard’s fleet modernization initiative.
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This FRCs is named in honor of Robert Ward who operated beach-landing boats during the Normandy invasion. He landed his craft on the Cotentin Peninsula and rescued two stranded boat crews in the face of a heavily fortified enemy assault.
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