Captain Bardo talks about the USCG's new national security cutter

In early June, the SLD team visited the latest National Security Cutter, the WMSL-751 or the USCGC Waesche. The team toured the vessel while it was ported in San Diego for a training and repair mission. Captain Lance Bardo, the Commanding Officer of the Waesche, who will soon retire, provided an overview on the ship, its con-ops and missions.

CAPT Bardo, a career cutterman, has served aboard eight cutters over 26 years, commanding six prior to CGC WAESCHE. His seagoing duty has included Fisheries and Search and Rescue in the Northwest Atlantic, Bering Sea and off the California coast, icebreaking on the Great Lakes, as well as extensive counter drug operations in the Caribbean and East Pacific. Most recently he served as Commanding Officer of CGC MIDGETT (2008), HAMILTON(2007) and BOUTWELL from 2002 -- 2004 and led the interdiction of over $1B in contraband in the Eastern Pacific (http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/CGCWaesche/CommandingOfficer.asp).

The new USCG cutter brings to the table significant C4ISR capabilities, digital capabilities for operations and maintenance, an ability to operate much larger helicopters on its decks, an ability to operate remotely piloted vehicles, significant endurance, and an ability to operate for extended period of time at sea.

In crises like Katrina or the Gulf oil spill, the new cutter brings significant command and control capabilities to any task force managing a disruptive event.
http://www.sldinfo.com/?p=10225

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• USCG
• Cutter
• Captain Bardo