The Great Aluminum Fleet: The LCS, EPF, and Maritime Drug Interdiction

Abstract

As the war on drugs enters the 50th year, illegal drug profits continue to support terrorism and human trafficking, discarded drug boats are leaking fuels into the seas, and drug traffickers are using evolving technology, including semi-submersibles, narco-torpedoes, and full submarines. By analyzing the threat, the technology, and U.S. counterdrug policy and strategy, this thesis offers the Navy four necessary capabilities for a counterdrug vessel. The Navy and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) need speed and the ability to support Coast Guard law enforcement detachments (LEDET) and helicopter interdiction tactical squadrons (HITRON), as well as to deploy aircraft and rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB). Weighing the littoral combat ship (LCS) and the expeditionary fast transport (EPF) class, the thesis finds that the LCS issuitable for the counterdrug mission, especially if implemented with critical safety fixes, but the EPF alone is unsuitable. The thesis recommends a creative solution: use the LCS and EPF together to support the fight against drug traffickers

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1164345

Entities

People

  • Patrick J. Larson

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Boats
  • Drug Abuse
  • Drug Interdiction
  • Drug Trafficking
  • Employment
  • Geography
  • Marine Transportation
  • Military Applications
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Vessels
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States Southern Command
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.