Date: October 31, 2008 

Contact: Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office
(216) 902-6020 office
(216) 310-2608 cell

View and fly aboard the Coast Guard's newest aircraft 

CLEVELAND - Media is invited to attend a viewing and fly aboard one of the Coast Guard's newest aviation assets, the HC-144A "Ocean Sentry" medium range surveillance aircraft, at Burke Lakefront Airport on Monday, Nov. 3, at 12:45 p.m.

Interviews will be available. However, because of limited space aboard the aircraft, it may be necessary to form a media pool.

The HC-144A, part of the Coast Guard's Deepwater Major Acquisition Program, will replace the Service's aging fleet of HU-25 Falcon jets. The HC-144A is a derivative of the EADS/CASA CN-235-300 and significantly enhances the mission execution capability of Coast Guard air crews. This fixed-wing turbo prop aircraft will perform various missions, including maritime patrol, law enforcement, search and rescue, disaster response, and cargo and personnel transport. Additionally, the "Ocean Sentry" provides the added operational capability of a hydraulic-operated rear ramp, with superb fuel efficiency--consuming less fuel than the HU-25 or HC-130.

When equipped with its roll-on, roll-off Mission System Pallet (MSP) suite of electronic equipment, the aircraft crew is able to compile data from the aircraft's multiple integrated sensors and transmit and receive mission-essential information to and from other assets, including surface vessels, other aircraft, local law enforcement, and shore facilities. The aircraft systems are TEMPEST certified, meaning  that they meet current federal requirements to guard against the potential emanation of intelligence-compromising electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from computer and telecommunications equipment.

Previously delivered HC-144A aircraft already have proven their capabilities in the field. During a routine training flight on February 20 of this year, an HC-144A was diverted to assist with a search and rescue mission following the collision of two Air Force F-15 aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico. The HC-144A quickly became the on-scene rescue coordinator and successfully led a multi-agency rescue mission, which included assets from the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense, and civilian partners.

The HC-144A also provided invaluable reconnaissance capabilities during the Midwestern floods on June 19, 2008, when it assisted Coast Guard and local government officials in determining where response and recovery resources should be utilized in the ongoing flood relief efforts. In both cases, the HC-144A's range, loitering capability, endurance, and passenger capacity met the requirements of the mission, demonstrating that the HC-144A is well-matched to the multi-mission Coast Guard it will serve.

For more information, check out the HC-144A "Ocean Sentry" Website.

Pictures of the HC-144A Ocean Sentry can be found by clicking:
PICTURE #1,  PICTURE #2,  PICTURE #3.  For additional video or still imagery, contact the Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (216) 902-6020.

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