 Her evaluation period ended on 18 February 1975 and she was returned to the Navy.The Coast Guard once again acquired "Flagstaff" from the Navy on 29 September 1976 in San Diego, California, for further evaluation "in a fully operational environment".She was transported to the U.S. East Coast for testing in the "adverse weather conditions" that prevailed in the waters off the New England in the hope of having her conduct actual operational missions.