House subcommittee: Coast Guard modernization hindered by delays, contracting and funding shortfalls

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation heard testimony that the U.S. Coast Guard's multi‑decade recapitalization is behind schedule, underfunded and hampered by contracting and industrial‑base problems.

Chairman Ezell warned that the service faces a "$7,000,000,000 shore side infrastructure backlog," and said the Coast Guard has failed to provide congressionally required acquisition documents. "These plans are not optional. They are required by law," he told witnesses.

The committee examined progress across major acquisitions. Vice Admiral Tom Allen, acting deputy commandant for operations, said the polar security cutter is the Coast Guard's "number 1 priority" and reported increased design maturity and ongoing prototype work at Bollinger in Mississippi. Allen said the service expects delivery of the first heavy polar icebreaker in 2030 and asked for sustained funding to move the program to steady production. "We are now meeting our milestones to deliver this icebreaker," Allen said.

Members pressed the Coast Guard on the offshore patrol cutter (OPC) and national security cutter (NSC) programs. Chairman Ezell and others noted continued delays: Ezell said the lead OPC is four years late and has "a host of non compliant parts." Shelby Oakley, GAO director of contracting and national security acquisitions, told the committee that procurement problems often stem from "overly optimistic schedules and cost estimates" and insufficient attention to technical risk at the front end of programs.

The Coast Guard described aviation plans and shortfalls. Allen said the HC‑130J program has a program of record for 22 aircraft and that the service took delivery of its 18th HC‑130J two months ahead of schedule. He also said the MH‑60 fleet has an approved service‑life extension baseline and that MH‑65 Dolphins are approaching end of life. Committee members and GAO witnesses described gaps created by phased retirements and stalled procurements.

GAO Director Heather McLeod said GAO has documented chronic schedule and cost challenges across surface and aviation procurements and encouraged the Coast Guard to prioritize realistic baselines and better upfront planning. "This is exactly the kind of thing that needs to get better at the beginning of the process so that everybody goes in eyes wide open," Oakley said.

In response to repeated questions about statutory reporting, Allen pledged three near‑term actions: deliver a capital investment plan within 60 days after the President's budget, provide a quarterly acquisition brief to committee staff before April 1, and submit an aviation strategy briefing. "We will deliver the capital investment plan to you 60 days after the president budget is delivered to the hill," Allen said.

Committee members repeatedly linked procurement shortfalls to underfunding. Allen described the Coast Guard as a "$20,000,000,000 organization operating on a $12,000,000,000 budget," and said the service needs predictable, higher budgets to sustain production rates and retain a skilled shipbuilding workforce.

The hearing included member questions about industrial‑base capacity, supplier changes (for example, a change in OPC propeller and shaft suppliers), and how design maturity will affect certifying stage‑2 OPCs for full‑rate production. Oakley warned that the first OPC is not representative of the later design and that retrofits to stage‑1 ships will take time.

The committee did not take formal votes. Members and witnesses agreed on the need for clearer, timely acquisition reporting, improved upfront planning, and sustained funding to avoid further delays and cost growth.