Watercraft

Cutters

Originally, the Coast Guard used the term cutter in its traditional sense, as a type of small sailing ship. Larger cutters, over 181 ft in length, are controlled by Area Commands, the Atlantic Area or Pacific Area. Smaller cutters come under control of district commands. Cutters usually carry a motor surf boat and/or a rigid-hulled inflatable boat. Polar-class icebreakers (WAGB) carry an Arctic survey boat (ASB) and landing craft. Any Coast Guard crew with officers or petty officers assigned has law-enforcement authority (14 USC Sec. 89) and can conduct armed boardings. The Coast Guard operates 243 Cutters, defined as any vessel more than 65 ft long, that has a permanently assigned crew and accommodations for the extended support of that crew. {{Legend|#ddffdd|Class is currently being built and currently active}}{{Legend|#FFB3B2|Class is currently being replaced}}{{Legend|#E9D3FF|Class is currently being built and not yet active}}

Boats

The Coast Guard operates about 1,402 boats, defined as any vessel less than 65 ft in length, which generally operate near shore and on inland waterways. The most common is 25 ft long, of which the Guard has more than 350. The shortest is 13 ft.

Aircraft

The Coast Guard operates about 210 aircraft. Fixed-wing aircraft, such as Lockheed HC-130 Hercules turboprops, operate from Air Stations on long-duration missions. Helicopters (Aérospatiale HH-65 Dolphin and Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk) operate from Air Stations, Air Facilities, and flight-deck equipped cutters, and can rescue people or intercept smuggling vessels. Some special MH- designated helicopters are armed with guns and some are equipped with armor to protect against small arms fire. The Coast Guard flies several aircraft types: In addition to regular Coast Guard aircraft, privately owned general aviation aircraft are used by Coast Guard Auxiliarists for patrols and search-and-rescue missions.

Land vehicles

Electronic Warfare Systems

Shipboard Weapon Systems

Decoys and Countermeasures

Weapons

Communications

Coast Guard radio stations cover a wide geographical area using very high frequency and high frequency radios. There are eight major radio stations covering long-range transmissions and an extensive network of VHF radio stations along the nation's coastline and inland rivers. The current communication system is the Rescue 21. Rescue 21 is an advanced maritime command, control, and communications (C3) system. The OMEGA navigation system and the LORAN-C transmitters outside the USA were run until 1994 also by the United States Coast Guard, and LORAN-C transmitters within the US were decommissioned in June 2010, with the exception of 5 CONUS LORAN-C stations that continue to be staffed due to international agreements.