Capt. Philip Granati is becoming the new commanding officer at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center (RDC).
Granati will replace the current RDC commanding officer, Captain Michael Chien, at a change of command ceremony at the New London Community Recreation Center in New London, Conn., this Friday. Chein has held command since June 16, 2023.
Granati currently reports from duties as chief of the Coast Guard’s Office of Resource Management, where he oversees a $100 billion budget and supports 60,000 personnel.
The RDC is used by the Coast Guard to perform research and development in support of the service’s missions. It is responsible for evaluating the cost and logistics, and for providing risk-management analysis of the Coast Guard’s various operations.
He was previously the Appropriations Management Division chief. He’s also held other roles, including military assistant to the deputy secretary of Homeland Security plus assistant chief at Sector San Diego.
In April 2023, he argued in an article for the U.S. Naval Institute that the Coast Guard should commit to a national security cutter presence in the western Pacific for security reasons.
“The service is well suited to provide increased presence in the region without a simultaneous escalation or risk of armed conflict,” he wrote.
Chein Leaves Role for Naval War College
Capt. Chien is leaving his role to become the senior coast advisor to the president of the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.
During his tenure, he executed 189 research projects to advance the service’s technological capabilities, including improving broadband and warning systems and protecting public events from aircraft threats.
In May 2025, the RDC entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with AAC Clyde Space, to evaluate its satellite-based maritime communication systems. It is being conducted this year.
At the time, Chien said: “Our command has a long positive history of working with industry as part of the National Security Research Enterprise. We see this opportunity, with AAC SpaceQuest, as a way to keep this vital partnership between government and industry flourishing to advance our nation’s goals.”
The change of command ceremony will be conducted before assembled crew, honored guests and dignitaries to mark the transfer of responsibility from Chien to Granati.
Meanwhile, Coast Guard crews have reopened ports and waterways in Guam and the Northen Mariana Islands after Super Typhoon Bavi created extreme weather conditions this week.
Other ports of the Marianas remain closed pending checks, Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Sara Muir told Military.com. on Wednesday.
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