Joanna Crews
A maritime communications technology developed by General Dynamics‘ mission systems business has supported search-and-rescue missions of the U.S. Coast Guard since 2006.
The service branch used the company-built Rescue 21 Coastal system for command, control and direction-finding communications tasks in approximately 100,000 SAR operations, GDMS said Friday.
Chris Marzilli, GDMS president and a 2018 Wash100 recipient, said the business has collaborated with the Coast Guard in efforts to integrate technology and manage programs meant to increase Rescue 21 Coastal mission readiness.
The system is designed to automatically record a mariner’s distress call as direction-finding equipment works to calculate the call’s location.
GDMS added the system can accommodate additional sensors and C2 equipment.
The Coast Guard operates Rescue 21 along the entire continental U.S.’ Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts and the shores of the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Guam and Mariana Islands.
