Aug. 2, 2022 —
Four HC-144B medium range surveillance aircraft at the ready at Air Station Miami. The delivery of CGNR 2312 on July 16, 2022, fully transitioned the station to the upgraded aircraft. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
The Coast Guard completed transition of Air Station Miami to an upgraded medium range surveillance aircraft July 16 with the delivery of CGNR 2312. This aircraft is the 13th Coast Guard HC-144B Ocean Sentry outfitted with both the Ocean Sentry Refresh (OSR) modifications and the Minotaur mission system and Air Station Miami’s sixth.
The OSR project upgrades the aircraft with a new flight management system, which serves as the primary avionics computer for communication control, navigation and equipment monitoring. After the OSR upgrade is completed, each aircraft is redesignated as an HC-144B.
Minotaur integrates installed sensors and radar and provides dramatically improved data fusion as well as information processing and sharing capabilities.
Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama, are scheduled to complete their transitions in fiscal year 2024. Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, transitioned to the upgraded aircraft in 2019.
For more information: Medium Range Surveillance Aircraft Program page and Minotaur Program page