The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center received the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for work on 189 research projects and 105 operational products between June 2023 and February 2026. Key initiatives included deploying the first fully functional underway Starlink terminal aboard polar icebreaker USCGC Healy, advancing counter-drone capabilities and testing uncrewed air and maritime systems for surveillance and enforcement missions. The center also conducted research to improve maritime search-and-rescue survival predictions and public warning systems. Additional work included a cloud-based testing environment for new software and fleet studies supporting the Coast Guard’s developing 30-year shipbuilding acquisition strategy.
