Sunday, October 19, 2025

US Coast Guard recapitalises command and control aircraft

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 WASHINGTON, USA — The US Coast Guard executed a planned and critical recapitalisation of its long-range command and control aircraft October 17.

These aircraft are required to provide official travel for the secretary of homeland security, deputy secretary homeland security, commandant of the Coast Guard, vice commandant and Atlantic and Pacific commanders as specified by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department of Homeland Security policy.

“The timing of this investment underscores the Coast Guard’s vital need to modernise its command and control capabilities to meet today’s rapidly evolving operational demands. As maritime activity increases and national security challenges grow more complex, maintaining reliable air mobility is essential to ensuring continuity of operations and mission success,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant.

This purchase replaces planes that were as much as 20 years old and experiencing several unplanned maintenance issues. Since January 2025, US Coast Guard long-range command and control aircraft experienced 30 days of unplanned maintenance, with six missions requiring unplanned cancellation.

“Modernising the Coast Guard’s aging and obsolete aviation fleet is essential to ensuring our ability to successfully conduct national security missions. The purchase of these aircraft will meet our operational requirements for safe, reliable, on-demand military transport with integrated and secure command and control capabilities,” said Lunday.

The service has been operating command and control aircraft for over 65 years, reflecting a long-standing commitment to maintaining airborne command capability as a cornerstone of national maritime safety and security. Robust command and control capabilities, including top secret/secure compartmented information communications, are required for senior leaders to coordinate multi-agency operations across a vast international area of responsibility. The unique command and control capabilities provided by the long-range command and control aircraft enable real-time communication, situational awareness, operational continuity and the ability to direct assets to where they are needed.

In accordance with guidance from the White House and OMB, including OMB Circular A-126, all travel by agency heads qualifies as required use travel. As with the secretaries of state and war, the attorney general and directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency, the White House determined in March 2004 the duties of the secretary of homeland security were such that they require instantaneous secure communications with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies. This guidance also determined that in an emergency, the secretary of homeland security must be able to return to Washington, DC, or proceed to other destinations on an expedited basis.

“It’s incredibly disappointing that politicians and the media are playing politics with the funding of the Coast Guard,” said Sean Plankey, senior advisor to the secretary for the Coast Guard. “This is a matter of safety and mission readiness. It’s well known that senior military officials and cabinet members need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility. Flippant comments are great for clicks and fundraising emails, but don’t reflect the reality of protecting the American people 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.”

President Donald Trump has provided the US Coast Guard unprecedented support through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to enable the Coast Guard to be the finest maritime fighting force in service to the nation. The Coast Guard remains committed to investing in the most capable and cost-effective equipment for our service men and women. These acquisitions are in line with the policies and requirements for all military combatant commanders, department and service secretaries.

The post US Coast Guard recapitalises command and control aircraft appeared first on Caribbean News Global.

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Short Ghad sings about near-death experience with ‘Reason’

When dancehall-reggae artiste Short Ghad was based in Sweden a few years ago, he experienced a stark betrayal at the hands of his close friends -- a stinging act of treachery that almost cost him his own life.

He chronicles that eye-opening betrayal in a song called Reason that has been making the rounds on mixtapes and on FM radio.

"When I was living in Sweden a few years ago, one of my so-called friends dem threatened my life. I was surprised because I wasn't expecting it and mi just write the song same time, singing 'one of my friend dem want mi gone', and the chorus just stuck inna mi head and ah just so the song come about," he said.

He released visuals with a touching narrative for Reason which have racked up over 101,000 views since its release.

The song is the title track of his soon-to-be-released EP. Other songs which will be included on the EP are Never Say Sorry and Feel Like.

"This EP will show off my overall artistic vision, these songs are gaining tremendous popularity on Tik Tok and on IG @shortgee__ with thousands of shares and videos from fans all over the world," the artiste, whose real name is Conrad Williams, said.

Short Ghad has emerged as a popular TikTok personality, amassing several thousand followers on the platform where he streams live and plays music from his catalogue and those of other artistes. He has been promoting his singles and performing at local events such as BoomBox Fridays and Weddy Weddy Wednesdays.

"I have been in the streets all of this week and the response has been phenomenal, mi shell Weddy Weddy the other day, many of the selectors dem at the weekly events ah give me a strength," he said.

Short Ghad hails from the parish of St Elizabeth and was originally known for being a DJ, making his rounds across Jamaica’s street dances and parties. He gained recognition in 2022 after releasing Feel Nice, the title song and lead single from his 2022 debut studio album.

Released on February 25, 2022, the 19-track album is a tribute to love, inspired by his personal experiences and surroundings. The album featured a mix of classical dancehall and reggae with popular songs like Sekkle, Right Type a Luv and Love Party.

The project generated significant buzz, particularly in Europe, eventually achieving the number one spot on the pre-order list on iTunes (Reggae) in Sweden and, since that time, has garnered significant streams on Spotify and Facebook. His music blends dancehall, Afrobeat and reggae, making him a notable emerging artiste in the European market.

Short Ghad has released a battery of new videos for projects such as Never Say Sorry, Reason and Clean Like over the last couple of months.

"I am making great strides in the music industry, 2025 has been a breakout year for me," he said.

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