R 251518Z NOV 09 ALCOAST 675/09COMDTNOTE 16560SUBJ: LONG RANGE NAVIGATION (LORAN-C) TERMINATION1. EARLIER THIS YEAR, AFTER RELEASE OF THE PRESIDENTS FY10BUDGET REQUEST THAT IDENTIFIED LORAN-C FOR TERMINATION, THE
VICE COMMANDANT RELEASED AN ALL-HANDS EMAIL THAT DISCUSSED THEPLANNED TERMINATION AND OUR WAY FORWARD. SINCE THEN, A BROADCROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM BASED OUT OF CGHQ, LED BY COMDT (CG-541)AND COMDT (CG-43), AND INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM PERSONNEL
SERVICE CENTER, NAVIGATION CENTER, LORAN SUPPORT UNIT, THE CIVILENGINEERING PROGRAM, AND OTHER ELEMENTS, HAS DEVELOPED ACOMPREHENSIVE TERMINATION PLAN THAT WILL FURTHER GUIDE OUR ACTIONS.ON OCTOBER 28, 2009,THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE 2010 DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, WHICH DIRECTS THE COASTGUARD TO DISCONTINUE LORAN-C OPERATIONS NOT EARLIER THAN 4 JAN 2010AS LONG AS CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET.2. THE ACT REQUIRES THE COMMANDANT TO CERTIFY THAT
TERMINATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL WILL NOTADVERSELY IMPACT THE SAFETY OF MARITIME NAVIGATION, ANDFURTHER REQUIRES THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELANDSECURITY TO CERTIFY THAT THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT
NEEDED AS A BACKUP TO THE GPS SYSTEM OR TO MEET ANY OTHER FEDERALNAVIGATION REQUIREMENT. WHEN THOSE CERTIFICATIONS ARE MADE, THEU.S. COAST GUARD SHALL, COMMENCING JANUARY 4, 2010, TERMINATE THETRANSMISSION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL AND COMMENCE A PHASED
DECOMMISSIONING OF THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.3. OUR CURRENT MISSION REMAINS CLEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TOSTAND THE WATCH AND OPERATE THE LORAN-C SYSTEM UNTIL BOTHCERTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. CONCURRENTLY, WE MUST PREPARE
OURSELVES TO OPERATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED BUDGET ANDCONTINUE TERMINATION PROGRESS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THROUGHOUT THEPLANNING PROCESS WE REMAIN STEWARDS TO THE TAXPAYERS, THEENVIRONMENT, THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HOST LORAN SITES, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY THE GUARDIANS WHO HAVE LOYALLY OPERATED AND MAINTAINEDOUR STATIONS FOR THE PAST FIFTY YEARS, AND WHO CONTINUE TOPROFESSIONALLY DO SO TODAY.4. TAILORED INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIGNAL TERMINATION, ANDSTATION-SPECIFIC SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES, WILL BE TRANSMITTED
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS TO EACH STATION BY NAVCEN, THEOPERATIONAL COMMANDER OF THE NATIONS LORAN SYSTEM.5. WE UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITHEXECUTING A MISSION WHEN PROGRAMMATIC AND PERSONAL FUTURES ARE
UNCLEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO AREAS ANDDISTRICTS THAT HAVE LORAN STATIONS IN THEIR AORS, FOR FURTHERTRANSMISSION TO STATION PERSONNEL. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WECOLLECTIVELY REMAIN COMMITTED TO MINIMIZING PERSONNEL DISRUPTIONS
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WHILE FULFILLING OUR NATIONAL MANDATE TOFULLY OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM UNTIL TERMINATED.6. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL HAVE STAFFED AND OPERATED LORANSINCE 1943. SINCE THAT TIME, LORAN HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL
CHANGES WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY AND WITH NEAR ZERO LOSTTIME. THE LORAN SYSTEM SUPERBLY SUPPORTED NAVIGATION ANDPOSITIONING NEEDS FOR MANY YEARS, AND HAS BEEN A FOUNDATIONALELEMENT OF THE COAST GUARDS LONG AND PROUD HISTORY. THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR CONTINUED PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO THE LORANPROGRAM AND THE COAST GUARD.7. POC: CDR BOB FEIGENBLATT, LORAN PROGRAM MANAGER,AT 202-372-1558, OR EMAIL BOB.I.FEIGENBLATT(AT)USCG.MIL.
8. RDML KEVIN COOK, DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION POLICY, SENDS.9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED
VICE COMMANDANT RELEASED AN ALL-HANDS EMAIL THAT DISCUSSED THEPLANNED TERMINATION AND OUR WAY FORWARD. SINCE THEN, A BROADCROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM BASED OUT OF CGHQ, LED BY COMDT (CG-541)AND COMDT (CG-43), AND INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM PERSONNEL
SERVICE CENTER, NAVIGATION CENTER, LORAN SUPPORT UNIT, THE CIVILENGINEERING PROGRAM, AND OTHER ELEMENTS, HAS DEVELOPED ACOMPREHENSIVE TERMINATION PLAN THAT WILL FURTHER GUIDE OUR ACTIONS.ON OCTOBER 28, 2009,THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE 2010 DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, WHICH DIRECTS THE COASTGUARD TO DISCONTINUE LORAN-C OPERATIONS NOT EARLIER THAN 4 JAN 2010AS LONG AS CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET.2. THE ACT REQUIRES THE COMMANDANT TO CERTIFY THAT
TERMINATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL WILL NOTADVERSELY IMPACT THE SAFETY OF MARITIME NAVIGATION, ANDFURTHER REQUIRES THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELANDSECURITY TO CERTIFY THAT THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT
NEEDED AS A BACKUP TO THE GPS SYSTEM OR TO MEET ANY OTHER FEDERALNAVIGATION REQUIREMENT. WHEN THOSE CERTIFICATIONS ARE MADE, THEU.S. COAST GUARD SHALL, COMMENCING JANUARY 4, 2010, TERMINATE THETRANSMISSION OF THE LORAN-C SIGNAL AND COMMENCE A PHASED
DECOMMISSIONING OF THE LORAN-C SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.3. OUR CURRENT MISSION REMAINS CLEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TOSTAND THE WATCH AND OPERATE THE LORAN-C SYSTEM UNTIL BOTHCERTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. CONCURRENTLY, WE MUST PREPARE
OURSELVES TO OPERATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED BUDGET ANDCONTINUE TERMINATION PROGRESS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THROUGHOUT THEPLANNING PROCESS WE REMAIN STEWARDS TO THE TAXPAYERS, THEENVIRONMENT, THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HOST LORAN SITES, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY THE GUARDIANS WHO HAVE LOYALLY OPERATED AND MAINTAINEDOUR STATIONS FOR THE PAST FIFTY YEARS, AND WHO CONTINUE TOPROFESSIONALLY DO SO TODAY.4. TAILORED INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIGNAL TERMINATION, ANDSTATION-SPECIFIC SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES, WILL BE TRANSMITTED
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS TO EACH STATION BY NAVCEN, THEOPERATIONAL COMMANDER OF THE NATIONS LORAN SYSTEM.5. WE UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITHEXECUTING A MISSION WHEN PROGRAMMATIC AND PERSONAL FUTURES ARE
UNCLEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO AREAS ANDDISTRICTS THAT HAVE LORAN STATIONS IN THEIR AORS, FOR FURTHERTRANSMISSION TO STATION PERSONNEL. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WECOLLECTIVELY REMAIN COMMITTED TO MINIMIZING PERSONNEL DISRUPTIONS
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WHILE FULFILLING OUR NATIONAL MANDATE TOFULLY OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM UNTIL TERMINATED.6. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL HAVE STAFFED AND OPERATED LORANSINCE 1943. SINCE THAT TIME, LORAN HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL
CHANGES WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY AND WITH NEAR ZERO LOSTTIME. THE LORAN SYSTEM SUPERBLY SUPPORTED NAVIGATION ANDPOSITIONING NEEDS FOR MANY YEARS, AND HAS BEEN A FOUNDATIONALELEMENT OF THE COAST GUARDS LONG AND PROUD HISTORY. THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR CONTINUED PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO THE LORANPROGRAM AND THE COAST GUARD.7. POC: CDR BOB FEIGENBLATT, LORAN PROGRAM MANAGER,AT 202-372-1558, OR EMAIL BOB.I.FEIGENBLATT(AT)USCG.MIL.
8. RDML KEVIN COOK, DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION POLICY, SENDS.9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED
