| U.S. Coast Guard Rapid Response Prototyping Team (CG-RAPTOR) personnel prototype two new technologies at Coast Guard Station Washington on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2026. CG-RAPTOR personnel showcased TRITON, a law enforcement boarding-team application, and BADGERNet, a connectivity kit, both innovations that streamline workflows and provide internet access to Coast Guardsmen at sea. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Gabriel Wisdom) |
It began like any other routine patrol on the Potomac River.
As a Coast Guard small boat eased alongside a vessel in the shadow of the nation's capital, Petty Officer 2nd Class Fabian Monarrez locked eyes with the boat's driver and delivered the familiar opening line.
"We’ll be going over your vessel and doing a safety inspection,” he said, proceeding with the standard queries about known hazards and passenger counts.
But while Monarrez kept his attention on the boat and its occupants, something different was happening beside him. Instead of breaking out the traditional 4100 form on a clipboard, Petty Officer 2nd Class Merritt Carter rapidly typed responses, and information like driver’s license number, and registration into a tablet resting on his knee. Soon even that step will disappear.
This was a field demonstration of TRITON, the Tactical Retrieval and Intelligence Tool for Operational Narratives, a new voice-enabled application designed to speed up boarding inspections. If testing goes well this summer, the Coast Guard hopes to roll it out to the fleet by the fall.
The AI-driven app was developed by CG-RAPTOR, the Coast Guard’s rapid prototyping team, the Office of Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), and C5I. It essentially automates much of the boarding process, transforming spoken observations and information into a standardized report that can be quickly transmitted ashore.
"This idea came directly from the field," said Capt. Chad Brick, who leads CG-RAPTOR. "We needed to make boardings faster, so our crews stay protected and connected out there at sea."
The applications are endless. Whether operators are conducting a standard recreational boating safety check or a high-stakes interdiction, TRITON captures necessary data quickly and in a format that can be immediately used or analyzed. A crew intercepting a drug smuggler in the middle of the Atlantic could use this same system to instantly log evidence without taking their eyes off the suspects.
"This takes away all the manual paperwork hassles," Monarrez noted during the demonstration, "so I can actually focus on being out on the water and talking to people."
By automating data entry, TRITON not only saves time and reduces errors; it improves the physical safety of operators, allowing them to stay fully aware of their surroundings and potential threats. Lt. Anthony Bider, a program manager at MLE-3 and the primary architect of the project, said the benefits can’t come soon enough.
“This is going to save us some 40,000 man-hours a year,” he said.
Revolutionizing high-stakes interdictions
The impact may be even greater during counter-drug operations.
Today, a single drug-smuggling interdiction can trigger 24 to 48 hours of post-mission reporting and evidence documentation, notes Bider.
“In high tempo situations that can mean teams are conducting a second boarding before they’ve even completed the paperwork for the first,” he said.
TRITON takes on much of that workload. Designed to function even without internet connectivity, the application guides boarding teams through complex legal steps and requirements while automatically generating reports and case files. According to Bider, that could save as many as 240 hours of work per bust.
This technology also solves another major hurdle: securely tracking evidence. Instead of relying on physical memory cards and receipts, TRITON introduces what Bider calls an "Amazon-style" digital tracking network. Photos are taken directly in the app, time-stamped, and instantly uploaded when the internet connects. Digital barcodes will track drug bundles and detainees from the cutter all the way to the courtroom, ensuring a rock-solid chain of custody.
Protected and connected
TRITON’s effectiveness is enhanced by another emerging capability: BADGERNet (Battlefield Access Data Gateway & Extended Router Network). Built in partnership with the Navy and private industry, BADGERNet functions as a secure, long-range wireless network for crews on the front lines. The whole setup packs into a compact 27-pound case and lets crews communicate beyond line of sight without relying on an aircraft to relay information back to their ship.
The recent demonstration marked the first integration of two technologies. TRITON is the smart app that handles data capture, and BADGERNet is the tough, portable Wi-Fi hub that keeps information flowing between operators and command centers. Together, they give crews the ability to collect, transmit and analyze information more quickly while reducing administrative burdens.
The pace of development has been almost as impressive as the technology itself. The team only began working on both capabilities in November.
“How’s that for agile,” Brick said.
If successful, TRITON could fundamentally change how the Coast Guard documents and manages boardings, allowing crews to spend less time on paperwork and more time focused on the mission,
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