April 2, 2025
NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), the service’s only research command, received word that the command has earned the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Regional Technology Transfer Award for their efforts to increase maritime border security research and advance the Coast Guard’s homeland security mission readiness in Puerto Rico. This award will be presented to the FLC member laboratory with the most outstanding technology transfer activities that advance mission-oriented research and development within a particular region, at the consortium’s national event in May.
“We deeply appreciate the Federal Laboratory Consortium highlighting the non-stop work of our dedicated team. Enhancing maritime border security capabilities, while simultaneously enhancing data capture, display and storage is a key focus of our staff in support of department and service missions,” noted Captain Michael Chien, the RDC’s Commanding Officer. “Our research is breaking new ground on ways that our service can use autonomy in pursuit of maritime security.”
The RDC – driven by the Coast Guard’s crucial missions ensuring U.S. border security and economic prosperity, has supported these priorities by providing technology and expertise to the Homeland Security community since its foundation. The goals of a September 2024 effort led by RDC engineers, scientists, and military personnel were no different: increase maritime domain awareness to protect the country from unlawful entry.
Led by members of the RDC Autonomy Research Program, in close partnership with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and local Coast Guard (CG) units, the RDC executed Operational Demonstration COQUI, which integrated several air and maritime-based uncrewed systems (UxS) with ongoing patrols and border protection efforts in Puerto Rico. This month-long technology deployment focused on areas of high maritime trafficking activity off the coast of western Puerto Rico with particular attention paid to the Mona Passage, a 75-mile (120km) strait that separates the Dominican Republic from U.S. territory. Homeland Security threats often depart Hispaniola and transit into U.S. waters before reaching Puerto Rican shores, and CG or CBP must swiftly identify, investigate, and intercept these unlawful entries to disrupt the trafficking operation. The approach of teaming multiple UxS units with legacy assets and surveillance capabilities increased the effectiveness of CG and CBP presence within the MonaPassage. The data collected by RDC UxS was streamed in real-time to the RDC command control (C2) station at CBP’s Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center (CAMOC). RDCUxS critically informed CG and CBP operations by providing actionable data about targets of interest, enabling resource preservation when no threat was identified and swifter responses when interdiction was necessary.
“We have now conducted three incredibly successful autonomy demonstrations against real world targets. We have built on each success through the dedication and determination of our team,” noted Captain Chien. “We are making a difference and delivering the right research to address operational needs and requirements."
For more information about the RDC, please contact the USCG RDC Public Affairs Officer, Dr. Joe DiRenzo at (860) 271-2738.
