Coast Guard Law Enforcement personnel need an unambiguous tool to better attract boaters’ attention and communicate with them. The 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, developed by the Research and Development Center in New London, Connecticut, provides a brighter searchlight and louder speaker than are currently installed on Coast Guard vessels. In addition to the light and speaker, there is also a green dazzling laser to attract the target vessel’s attention.
The RDC began market research of commercial-off-the-shelf solutions in 2014. The project sponsor, the Office of Specialized Capabilities (CG-721), selected one of the identified options, the HALLTS prototype. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Divisionin 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 Coast Guard’s mission challenges, so the RDC developed a Coast Guard version specifically designed to meet mission needs. It includes a Long Range Acoustic Device directional speaker that is capable of projecting 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.
The RDC is currently conducting 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.