As the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq wind down and the defense budget shrinks in the coming years, all the services will have a tough time finding funds for their favored programs. While the U.S. Navy has drawn most of the ink in the defense community with intense debates over the cost of the Ford -class carriers, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the future of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), it’s easy to lose sight of another Sea Service that also wrestles with tight budgets and challenging fleet plans. The Coast Guard, it seems, has always found itself forced to do more with less, but as the authors in this year’s service focus tell us, that may one day no longer be an option.
