UNCLAS //N16240//
SUBJ: ARCTIC WEST-EAST SUMMER 2005 (AWES-05) DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY 1. DEPLOYMENT STATISTICS (PORTCALLS LISTED PARA 5):
  A. 01 JUN U/W FROM HOMEPORT SEATTLE
  B. 13 JUN ENTERED ICE
  C. 26 JUL EXITED ICE
  D. 09 AUG ENTERED ICE
  E. 01 SEP RENDEZVOUS W/SWEDISH ICEBREAKER ODEN
  F. 12 SEP REACHED NORTH POLE
  G. 24 SEP DEPARTED COMPANY W/SWEDISH ICEBREAKER ODEN
  H. 27 SEP EXITED ICE
  I. 10 NOV TRANSITED PANAMA CANAL ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC
  J. 28 NOV ARRIVED HOMEPORT SEATTLE
  K. PURPOSE: 3 MULTIPLE SCIENCE MISSIONS FOR ARCTIC RESEARCH:
       HLY05-01: 14 DAY NSF CORING
                 (13 JUN - 26 JUN)
       HLY05-02: 30 DAY NOAA OCEAN EXPLORATION
                 (27 JUN - 26 JUL)
       HLY05-03: 57 DAY NSF TRANS-ARCTIC CORING AND GEO-PHYSICAL
                 (05 AUG - 30 SEP)
  L. DAYS AFHP: 180 (FY05: 122 / FY06: 58)
     (TOTAL DAYS AFHP FY05: 173)
     (TOTAL DAYS AFHP FY06 FORECAST: 224)
  M. DAYS IN TRANSIT: 52
  N. DAYS IN SUPPORT OF SCIENCE: 101 UNDERWAY, 5 INPORT
  O. LIBERTY PORT CALL DAYS: 22
2. HELICOPTER OPERATIONS (SEE ALSO CO COMMENTS PARA 9.B.):
   HH-65B TAIL NUMBERS 6529 AND 6567
  A. HLY05-01: SORTIES: 21
               FLIGHT HOURS: 29.1
               PERSONNEL TRANSPORTED: 37
               CARGO TRANSPORTED: 3800 LBS
  B. HLY05-02: SORTIES: 18
               FLIGHT HOURS: 32.9
               PERSONNEL TRANSPORTED: 46
               CARGO TRANSPORTED: 3000 LBS
  C. HLY05-03: SORTIES: 25
               FLIGHT HOURS: 30.0
               PERSONNEL TRANSPORTED: 18
               CARGO TRANSPORTED: 3900 LBS
  D. TOTAL AWES-05 (NUMBERS INCL DATA EXTERNAL TO DIRECT SCIENCE SUPPORT SUCH AS ARRIVALS, DEPARTURES, USCG LOGISTICS OR DLQs):
               SORTIES: 89
               FLIGHT HOURS: 120.4
               PERSONNEL TRANSPORTED: 101
               CARGO TRANSPORTED: 10,700 LBS
  E. MISSIONS: LOGISTICS, SCIENCE SUPPORT, ICE RECONNAISSANCE.
  F. AIRCRAFT AVAILABILITY: 99.53%
3. MAJOR CASUALTIES:
  A. CASREPS 05018, 05045, 05046: MDE HEAT EXCHANGERS.
  B. CASREP  05021: STBD ANCHOR WINDLASS.
  C. CASREP  05033: DISHWASHER.
  D. CASREP  05027: TACAN.
  E. CASREPS 05026, 05037, 05038, 05053: PUMPS (CFW, STRNG, MSW).
  F. CASREP  05025: STEAM PREHEATER AND REHEATER COILS.
  G. CASREPS 05042, 05043, 05051, 05055, 05057: CYCLOS.
  H. CASREPS 05035, 05062: CTES COMPUTER AND SERVER.
  I. CASREPS 05030, 05031, 05052, 05061, 05068: MDE CASUALTIES.
  J. CASREP  05034: AFT WARPING CAPSTAN.
  K. CASREP  05036: BOW THRUSTER.
  L. CASREP  05047, 05048: CRANES.
  M. CASREP  05050: INCINERATOR.
  N. CASREP  05056: OWS.
  O. CASREPS 05059, 05060: STORM DAMAGE TO ANCHOR AND BOW CRANE.
  P. CASREPS 05054, 05064, 05065: SHAFTING.
  Q. CASREP  05039: BOILER CONDENSATE SYSTEM.
  R. CASREP  05040, 05041: FOPS AND LOPS.
  S. CASREP  05063: HEALY 1 (RHI).
  T. 34 MSW, ASW AND FIREMAIN PIPING LEAKS.
4. COMMUNICATIONS:
  A. OVERALL, COMMS WERE EXCELLENT THROUGHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT. INMARSAT CONNECTIVITY WAS LOST DURING THE TRANSIT OVER THE NORTH POLE FROM 80N, WEST LONGITUDE TO 80N, EAST LONGITUDE. IMPLEMENTED SWIII HIGH LATITUDE EMAIL SOLUTION. IRIDIUM REACHBACK UNIT CONFIGURED FOR EMAIL CONNECTIVITY ONLY. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN EMAIL CONNECTIVITY WITH BOTH SCIENCE AND COAST GUARD LOADS.
  B. HFDX COMMS WERE GOOD THROUGHOUT DEPLOYMENT. HEALY RECEIVED GREAT SUPPORT FROM COMMSTA KODIAK AND CAMSPAC POINT REYES.
  C. IRIDIUM COMMS THROUGH REACHBACK WERE CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT. PROVIDED THE SCIENCE PARTIES A PRIMARY MEANS FOR DATA AND EMAIL TRANSFER AT ALL LATITUDES. IRIDIUM PHONE THROUGH MXU2000 AND SINGLE CHANNEL UNIT WAS THE PRIMARY VOICE COMMUNICATIONS CIRCUIT WITH MINI-M SERVING AS SECONDARY. IRIDIUM FUNCTIONED WELL FOR BOTH VOX AND E-MAIL AT OUR HIGHEST LATITUDES.
  D. HEALY IS IN DISCUSSIONS REGARDING HIGH LATITUDE CONNECTION TO CGDN. IRIDIUM IS CAPABLE OF BEING USED FOR THIS SERVICE BOTH FOR HEALY AND OTHER NON-INMARSAT COAST GUARD ASSETS AND IT IS RECOMMENDED AS A SOLUTION FOR CONNECTIVITY WHEN CUTTERS WILL BE OUT OF INMARSAT-B SATELLITE FOOTPRINTS. RECOMMEND PURSUING IRIDIUM SOLUTIONS IN OVERCOMING ALL COAST GUARD DATA NETWORK CONNECTIVITY BARRIERS. 5. PORT CALLS: THE USUAL STELLAR SUPPORT OF MLCPAC//MDL// AND INDIVIDUAL USDAO OFFICES ENSURED ALL REQUESTED SERVICES WERE ARRANGED AND RENDERED.
     PORT:                DATES:           PURPOSE:
  A. DUTCH HARBOR, AK     31 JUL - 05 AUG  LOGISTICS/LIBERTY
  B. TROMSO, NORWAY       30 SEP - 05 OCT  LOGISTICS/LIBERTY
  C. DUBLIN, IRELAND      10 OCT - 17 OCT  LIBERTY
  D. SAN MIGUEL, AZORES   22 OCT - 26 OCT  LIBERTY
  E. SAINT MARTIN (NETH)  03 NOV - 06 NOV  LIBERTY
  F. CABO SAN LUCAS, MX   18 NOV - 21 NOV  LIBERTY
6. NOTEWORTHY EVENTS:
  A. SCIENCE:
    1. HLY 05-01 (13-26 JUN) AND 05-03 (05 AUG-30 SEP) NSF FUNDED MISSIONS FOCUSED ON CORING AND COLLECTING GEO-PHYSICAL TRANSECT DATA VIA SEISMIC STREAMER WHICH WAS TOWED WHILE BREAKING MANAGEABLE ICE. 470 METERS OF CORE WAS OBTAINED AND 480 NM OF SUB-BOTTOM MAPPING WAS COMPLETED. SAMPLES AND DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THE CANADIAN BASIN, NORTHWIND RIDGE, CHUKCHI PLATEAU, MENDELEEV RIDGE, ALPHA RIDGE, LOMONOSOV RIDGE, GAKKEL RIDGE AND YERMAK PLATEAU. MUCH OF THE SUB-BOTTOM PROFILING REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME THE NATURE OF THE SEA FLOOR WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY ONLY SPECULATED. THE CHUKCHI BORDERLAND SURVEY REVEALED MORE EXTENSIVE AND DEEPER GLACIAL EROSION THAN EXPECTED.
    2. HLY 05-02 (27 JUN - 26 JUL) NOAA FUNDED OCEAN EXPLORATION WAS BIOLOGICALLY FOCUSED AND SUB-CATEGORIZED INTO MARINE MAMMAL, ON ICE, UNDER ICE, PELAGIC (MID-WATER) AND BENTHIC (BOTTOM). EXTENSIVE PELAGIC AND BENTHIC EXPLORATION WAS CONDUCTED VIA REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLE (ROV) EQUIPPED WITH LIGHTING AND SAMPLING CAPABILITIES. THE ROV WAS OPERABLE TO DEPTHS OF 2850 METERS AND LOGGED 140 HOURS IN THE WATER. COAST GUARD DIVERS LOGGED 50 HOURS UNDERWATER AND ICE TO COLLECT SAMPLES AND VIDEO. OUR TWO A-FRAMES HOISTED 130 OVER-THE-SIDE GEAR SUBMERSIONS. THIS PHASE DISCOVERED SEVERAL NEW SPECIES OF JELLYFISH AND BENTHIC ANIMALS AND DESCRIBED EXTENSIONS OF HABITAT BY SPECIES NOT PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED IN THE ARCTIC.
  B. BESET (14-18 JUN): HEALY WAS STUCK IN THE ICE FOR 93 HOURS BETWEEN 14-18 JUNE APPROXIMATELY 70NM NNW OF BARROW, AK. WHILE VENTURING INTO INCREASINGLY TOUGHER MULTI-YEAR ICE CONDITIONS EARLY IN THE SEASON, WE WERE NIPPED BY A LARGE FLOE THAT COLLAPSED ON OUR TRACK, A TERM COMMONLY NOW REFERRED TO AS BEING "BRIDED." EASTERLY WINDS CAUSED THE ICE TO EXERT PRESSURE ON THE STARBOARD BEAM OF OUR NORTHERLY HEADING WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO A 4 DEGREE PORT HEEL. TWO OR THREE TIMES PER DAY, WE WOULD POWER UP THE PLANT TO FULL ON 3 ENGINES FOR 20 MINUTES AHEAD AND ASTERN. THE AFT RUNNING AHEAD PROP WASH CAUSED NOTABLE DECAY ON THE ICE ASTERN. 4 FIRE HOSES DRAWING FROM THE 45F DEGREE SEABAY WERE ALSO RIGGED AND TRAINED ON A PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME 2-CAR-GARAGE-SIZED PIECE OF ICE WHICH HAD BECOME LODGED AT AN ANGLE UNDER THE PORT QUARTER. THIS PIECE ULTIMATELY APPLIED SUCH FORCE ON THE RUDDER AS TO BURN OUT THE STEERING PUMP MOTOR WHICH WAS TRYING TO RESET ITSELF TO AMIDSHIPS. THE STEERING PUMP MOTORS WERE SECURED TO HELP MITIGATE THIS OCCURRENCE. THE COMBINATION OF PROP WASH, 45F DEGREE HIGH VELOCITY FIRE HOSES, MELT TIME AND ABATING WINDS EVENTUALLY ALLOWED US TO BREAK FREE.
  C. NORTH POLE (12 SEP): FEW SURFACE VESSELS HAVE REACHED THE NORTH POLE. THIS WAS ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN HISTORY THAT THIS WAS DONE FROM THE WEST, THE PREVIOUS BEING USCGC POLAR SEA AND CCGS LOUIS S. ST-LAURENT IN 1994. THIS IS NOT A TRIP THAT SHOULD BE MADE ALONE. HEALY JOINED FORCES AS PLANNED WITH THE SWEDISH ICEBREAKER ODEN FROM 01-24 SEP. THE TWO'S ICEBREAKING CAPABILITIES COMPLIMENTED EACH OTHER AND IT IS LIKELY THAT NEITHER COULD HAVE MADE IT ALONE. (SEE ALSO CO COMMENTS PARA 9.D.) 7. FUEL EXPENDED:
  A. PROPULSION:     1,806,686 GALLONS
  B. AVIATION (JP5):     6,316 GALLONS
  C. TOTAL:          1,813,002 GALLONS
8. MILES CRUISED: 22,913 NM
9. COMMANDING OFFICERS COMMENTS:
  A. LDEO CONTRACT: THE NSF FUNDED SCIENCE SUPPORT CONTRACT THRU COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY's LAMONT-DOHERTY EARTH OBSERVATORY ENSURES HEALY's SUCCESS IN ARCTIC RESEARCH SCIENCE SUPPORT. WE WOULD BE ONLY A FRACTION AS EFFECTIVE WITHOUT THE ESTABLISHED CORPORATE KNOWLEDGE WHICH HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OVER HEALY's 6 YEARS IN SERVICE. THE EXISTENCE OF THIS CONTINUOUS SUPPORT IS AS IMPORTANT AS OUR STANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NESU, ESU, ALSTOM OR SPERRY.
  B. AVIATION SUPPORT: THE CONCLUSION OF THIS DEPLOYMENT MARKS THE DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE COAST GUARD's POLAR OPERATIONS DIVISION
(POPDIV) FOR AVIATION SUPPORT TO THE ICEBREAKERS. HEALY WAS GRACED WITH SUPERIOR AVIATORS EAGER TO FLY AND OUTSTANDING FLIGHT MECHANICS WHO MAINTAINED THE 99.53% AIRCRAFT AVAILABILITY. THE BRAVO MODEL HH-65s WE DEPLOYED WITH WERE LIMITED IN FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY (NEAR CHRONIC IN THE SUMMER ARCTIC) AND WIND PARAMETERS WHILE HOVE TO.
  C. ENGINEERING: AS WITH LAST YEAR, SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING EVENTS PRIMARILY REVOLVED AROUND MDG, STEAM HEATER, SALT WATER PIPING LEAKS, AND CYCLOCONVERTER ISSUES. OVERALL, OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY THE CREW AND SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FROM THE SHORESIDE MAINTENANCE COMMUNITY ENSURED HEALY WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY MEET ALL MISSION AND SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS.
    1. MDG: EARLY IN THE DEPLOYMENT, NESU SEATTLE PROVIDED A TEAM OF TECHNICIANS TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER LINER O-RINGS ON NR3 MDG TO ENSURE IT WAS RELIABLE FOR THE TRANS-ARCTIC SCIENCE LEG.
    2. STEAM HEATERS: FAILURES WERE AGAIN A PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE UPCOMING AVAILABILITY IS COMPLETING MAJOR LOUVER AND CONDENSATE PIPING WORK WHICH SHOULD IMPROVE THE SYSTEM'S CAPABILITY TO HANDLE COLD WEATHER.
    3. SALTWATER PIPING: A SOLUTION FOR THE CAUSE OF THE SALTWATER PIPING EROSION IS BEING PROTOTYPED ON THE AUXILIARY SALTWATER THIS INPORT, BUT THE MSW AND ASW PIPING DAMAGE IS DONE AND HEALY CAN EXPECT CONTINUED WATER LEAKS UNTIL THE ERODED SECTIONS ARE ALL REPLACED.
    4. CYCLOCONVERTERS: NOTWITHSTANDING THE EXCELLENT TROUBLESHOOTING BY THE EM SHOP, THE CYCLOCONVERTERS CONTINUE TO REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FROM THE IPP CONTRACTOR THROUGHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT TO MAINTAIN FULL CAPABILITY.
  D. SWEDISH ICEBREAKER ODEN: EARLY PLANNING FOR AWES-05 AVAILED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENDEZVOUS AND WORK WITH THE ODEN DURING THE TRANS-ARCTIC PHASE OF THIS DEPLOYMENT. JOINT OBJECTIVES WERE DEVELOPED FOR SCIENCE, NAVIGATION AND LOGISTICS. HEALY AND ODEN HAVE DIFFERENT ICEBREAKING CAPABILITIES WHICH COMPLIMENTED EACH OTHER NICELY. ODEN's MANEUVERABILITY IN THE ICE FAR EXCEEDS HEALY's, WHILE OUR BACKING AND RAMMING CAPABILITY IN HEAVY ICE WAS MUCH BETTER. OF PARTICULAR NOTE, WE BENEFITED FROM THE COMMERCIALLY CONTRACTED SERVICES OF AN ICE RECONNAISSANCE HELICOPTER EMBARKED IN ODEN WHICH TACTICALLY PLOTTED THE LAST SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES TO THE NORTH POLE FOLLOWED BY THE WAY SOUTH AND OUT.
  E. U.S. NAVAL ICE CENTER ICE IMAGERY: THE HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE ICE IMAGERY PROVIDED BY NIC WAS OF SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC VALUE. THESE IMAGES, COMBINED WITH ROUTINE TACTICAL HELO ICE RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS BY ODEN's HELO, HELPED PLAN THE WAY AHEAD.
  F. NORTHSLOPE BOROUGH SAR, BARROW, ALASKA: THE GRATIS SERVICES OF THE NORTHSLOPE BOROUGH SAR HELO (BELL 412 UH-1N HUEY) WERE USED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO THE GREAT BENEFIT OF HLY05-02, THE NOAA FUNDED OCEAN EXPLORATION. DURING THE INITIAL ONLOAD OF THE MISSION 5NM OFFSHORE BARROW, NORTHSLOPE's HUEY MANAGED 6 HEAVY LIFTS OF SCIENCE GEAR (MOSTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROV) WHICH GREATLY EXCEEDED THE CAPACITY OF AN HH-65. NORTHSLOPE's HUEY WAS ALSO CALLED UPON TWICE FOR ROUNDTRIPS WHILE HEALY WAS 200NM FROM BARROW. ONE ROUNDTRIP WAS TO DELIVER A CRITICAL REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE ROV WHICH SAVED 40% OF THE SCIENCE OBJECTIVES FOR THE NOAA LEG AND THE OTHER, TO PICK UP A MEMBER OF THE SCIENCE PARTY WHO HAD LEARNED OF THE UNEXPECTED DEATH OF HIS FATHER.
  G. BASC - BARROW ARCTIC SCIENCE CONSORTIUM: THE ARCTIC SCIENCE SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN BARROW PROVIDED BY BASC IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO ASSIST IN SCIENCE PARTY ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES AND LIAISON / GOOD RELATIONS WITH LOCAL TRIBAL INTERESTS (WHALING) AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES SUCH AS NORTHSLOPE BOROUGH SAR.
  H. THIS CONCLUDES ANOTHER HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL POLAR DEPLOYMENT BY A CG ICEBREAKER. THE LONG HISTORY OF CG PERSONNEL AND CUTTERS SUPPORTING SCIENCE IN THE POLAR REGIONS CONTINUES AT A LEVEL THAT WOULD MAKE OUR NAMESAKE PROUD, CONTINUING THAT FINE TRADITION OF POLAR EXCELLENCE CAPT MIKE HEALY FOUNDED. 10. POC: LCDR JIM DALITSCH, OPERATIONS OFFICER
         (206) 217-6300 x408
         JDALITSCH(AT)HEALY.USCG.MIL
         JAMES.W.DALITSCH(AT)USCG.MIL
BT
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