The US Coast Guard Law Enforcement personnel are looking for a tool to better attract boaters’ attention and communicate with them. The US Coast Guard Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Program is currently testing a possible solution: a Hailing Acoustic Laser Light Tactical System appropriately called CG-HALLTS.
The system is developed by the Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Connecticut, and aims to provide a brighter searchlight and louder speaker than are currently installed on USCG vessels. Additonally, there is also a green dazzling laser to attract the target vessel’s attention.
The RDC started the market research of commercial-off-the-shelf solutions in 2014. The Office of Specialized Capabilities (CG-721), selected one of the identified options, the HALLTS prototype. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia demonstrated the Navy version of HALLTS in San Francisco Bay; both the green and white lights were observable at 1,000 yards.
However, the Navy’s HALLTS configuration did not address all of the US Coast Guard’s mission challenges, so the RDC developed a new US Coast Guard version to meet mission needs. The new version includes a Long Range Acoustic Device directional speaker that can project a warning tone more than 3,500 yards, a Maxa Beam searchlight with a 12 million-candlepower peak beam, and an eye-safe Class 2 Glare Helios dazzling laser.
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The RDC is currently performing a limited user evaluation of CG-HALLTS for CG-721; three systems are deployed in Sector Miami. Initial feedback from the field has been positive.
This tool can also be used to define security zones and communicate with most types of surface vessels.
CG-HALLTS aims to improve communications between the US Coast Guard and civilian boaters. A vessel that ignores warnings increases the possibility that this may be a threat. CG-HALLTS can gain compliance through lights and verbal communication. This system uses multiple technologies to attract and communicate with uninformed or distracted boaters, to improve efficiency in operations.
