Coast Guard Launches 30-Day Tech Innovation Program

When Coast Guard operators need better technology, they no longer have to wait years for bureaucracy to catch up. A new rapid response office is putting cutting-edge tools in their hands within weeks.

The Coast Guard launched CG-RAPTOR (Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping) this month to accelerate the journey from idea to deployment. The program identifies urgent operational needs and delivers working prototypes in 30, 60, or 90-day cycles through partnerships with operators, industry experts, and innovators.

In just 150 days, the program has already rolled out advanced unmanned systems, innovative personnel management tools, secure communications platforms, and real-time readiness tracking. This Friday in San Diego, CG-RAPTOR will demonstrate its latest advancement: integrated sensor data and video feeds that give operators unified situational awareness for missions like Southern Border watercraft interdiction.

"We are completely changing the game on how the Coast Guard delivers our mission through operational agility, integration and automation," said Captain Chad Brick, CG-RAPTOR's inaugural chief. The office commits to delivering impactful new technology every 30 days.

The timing couldn't be better. In fiscal year 2025, the Coast Guard seized a record 510,000 pounds of cocaine during strategic operations like Pacific Viper. The service also welcomed over 5,200 new active-duty members, its highest annual recruiting total since 1991.

The Ripple Effect

CG-RAPTOR represents more than faster technology deployment. It's part of Force Design 2028, the Coast Guard's blueprint for operational excellence through innovation and agility. By shortening the innovation cycle from years to weeks, the program lets the service test streamlined processes before making larger investments across the entire organization.

The innovation culture extends to every Coast Guard member through the CG Ideas@Work platform, where personnel can submit their own solutions. Many of the service's recent advancements came directly from the creative thinking of its workforce.

With more than 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline to protect and 4.5 million square miles of exclusive economic zone to patrol, rapid innovation gives operators the tools they need to meet evolving challenges in real time.