Cutter Dallas Loses Go-Fast Due to Faulty Lights

In a further testament to the antiquity of Coast Guard assets and mounting difficulties in meeting maintenance requirements, Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen testified on Thursday that the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas out of Charleston, South Carolina was forced to give up chase on a go-fast due to faulty landing gear lights. Coast Guard shipboard aviation policy does not allow for the launch of embarked aircraft without operational flight deck lights, and the time necessary to effect repairs on the flight deck lights on this 41 year-old cutter cost them the go-fast. The 40-knot fast boat escaped the Dallas when the cutter's embarked MH-65C helicopter could not launch as a result of the failed lights. Equipment failures like this are common on these aging assets, and their ability to maintain mission readiness is rapidly deteriorating due to increased mission requirements.

Read the full article on Navy Times here.