Coast Guard defends Deepwater procurement

about the Deepwater acquisition and struck a nerve over at the Coast Guard.In comments posted to the blog, spokeswoman Laura Williams points out that the Coast Guard has embraced the role of lead systems integrator that it took away from the Lockheed Martin Corp.-Northrop Grumman Corp. joint venture, Integrated Coast Guard Systems.She quotes the commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, who said in March: "Any discussion of our acquisition organization and its effectiveness needs to begin with where we are today and what has been accomplished in the last two and a half years. We must always learn from the past and make corrections where needed, but today we are in a new place and it needs to be recognized."Williams goes on to describe how the change applies to more than just the Deepwater program, but nearly every acquisition program, including Rescue 21, the HC-144 and the Bertholf becoming a fully operational vessel.The changes implemented by Allen have the Coast Guard’s various directorates – capabilities, human resources, engineering and logistics, and command, control, communications and information systems – working together.“Everyone has a role, and with early input on every project and Coast Guard personnel working together on acquisition in concert, the Coast Guard will be better served for years to come,” Williams wrote. and at least , the Deepwater story isn't going away anytime soon. But I am wondering if the lessons the Coast Guard has learned through the program have turned the service into a role model instead of a whipping boy.