Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received an $88.2 million fixed-price contract from the US Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for a ninth National Security Cutter (NSC).
“NSC 9 will build on the performance record of her predecessors in the Legend class,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. “Coast Guard leadership has stated these ships help fill a need to bolster front-line operations in the fight against crime, especially drug interdictions. Ingalls is proud and honored to be providing this most advanced fleet of cutters to enable the Coast Guard to perform its daily missions in protecting America’s shores.”
The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major items for NSC 9, such as steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.
“This long-lead material contract gives our shipbuilders the ability to immediately start work on the ship in anticipation of the construction contract,” said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls’ vice president of program management. “This advance procurement helps us get started on the next great ship in this program.”
Ingalls has delivered the first five NSCs, the flagship of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, designed toreplace the 12 Hamilton-class High-Endurance Cutters, which entered service during the 1960s. Ingalls’ sixth NSC, Munro (WMSL 755), is scheduled for acceptance sea trials and delivery in the fourth quarter of 2016. The seventh ship, Kimball (WMSL 756), is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter, and the keel for the eighth, NSC Midgett (WMSL 757), is scheduled to be laid later this year.
NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.
The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the High-Endurance Cutter. The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft.
It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the US Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. This class of cutters plays an important role in enhancing the Coast Guard’s operational readiness, capacity and effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never been greater.
