What is the Coast Guard getting through the Integrated Deepwater System Program?
A. Eventually, the IDS will upgrade or replace the Coast Guard?s entire fleet of current deepwater surface and air assets. However, these assets are not being acquired on a one-for-one basis. At full implementation, the Integrated Deepwater System comprises three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, a combination of new and upgraded helicopters, and both cutter-based and land-based unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). All of these highly capable assets will be linked with state-of-the-art Command, Control, Communications and Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, and will be supported by an integrated logistics regime.
