US Coast Guards awards $125M for search & rescue system support

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems a $125.6 million follow-on contract to provide maintenance and engineering support for the Coast Guard’s command, control and direction-finding communications system.

Named Rescue 21, the program was created to better locate mariners in distress, save lives and property at sea and on navigable rivers.

The system enables the Coast Guard to execute its search and rescue (SAR) activities with far greater agility and efficiency. It is operational along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts of the continental United States as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Guam and Mariana Islands.

“Mission Systems is proud to work with the Coast Guard on this critical SAR program,” said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics Mission Systems. “Since its implementation, the Coast Guard has supported more than 90,000 SAR cases using Rescue 21. This system saves lives.”

The 36-month award consists of a base period with three option periods from September 2016 through August 2019.