BDSSU supporting the USCG. (BDSSU)
A British Armed Forces maritime support unit has carried out its inaugural operation for a US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter while the vessel was in Singapore, marking a new interoperability milestone between the two countries.
This milestone was achieved when the British Defence Singapore Support Unit (BDSSU) carried out refuelling and resupply operations for the Legend-class national security cutter, USCGC Waesche , while it was alongside Sembawang Naval Wharves.
The BDSSU is a naval logistical unit that is situated across two locations in northern Singapore; these are the former Sembawang Naval Base and a nearby oil depot at Senoko. The unit sustains the presence of UK Royal Navy vessels that operate across the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Waesche is the second of nine Legend-class cutters in service with the USCG and it was commissioned in May 2010. It is presently operating across the Asia-Pacific region with vessels from the US Seventh Fleet.
Waesche has an overall length of about 128 m and it displaces about 4,000 tonnes at full load. The vessel is armed with a 57 mm naval gun in the primary position and a stern-facing six-barrelled 20 mm Phalanx Block 1B close-in weapon system (CIWS) turret.
In its statement issued on 8 July, the BDSSU made no mention of when the support task for Waesche was carried out, presumably due to operational secrecy concerns.
However, an article published on the same day by the US Seventh Fleet indicated that Waesche has arrived at Cam Ranh in Vietnam alongside the command ship USS Blue Ridge for a five-day joint US Navy (USN) and USCG exercise. This suggests that Waesche
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