Huntington
Ingalls Industries announced today that the U.S. Coast Guard has awarded
a $487 million, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract to its Ingalls Shipbuilding
division to build the sixth National Security Cutter, Munro (WMSL 755).
"Our Coast Guard customer continues to be extremely pleased with
the performance of the NSC, and this contract proves that," said
Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager. "Our shipbuilders continue
to execute well on this contract, and the design/build plan is at a
mature stage. We currently have two more ships under construction and
expect to start NSC 6 in October." |
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NSCs, the flagships of the Coast Guard's cutter
fleet, were designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high-endurance
cutters, which entered service during the 1960s. Ingalls has delivered
the first three. The fourth, Hamilton (WMSL 753), currently at 40 percent
complete, is scheduled to launch this summer and will be christened
in October.
Keel-laying for the fifth NSC, James (WMSL 754), is set for May 17.
The ship is currently 17 percent complete and will launch in the spring
of 2014. A long-lead material contract for Munro was awarded in 2012,
and all associated equipment has been ordered.
Ingalls builds, integrates and tests the NSC hull, mechanical and electrical
(HME) systems, while Lockheed Martin provides the command, control,
communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
(C4ISR) capabilities onboard the cutters.
NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam, displacing 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 110.
The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime and national
security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter, including
new requirements in support of Arctic exploration. 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 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 enhancing the Coast Guard's operational readiness, capacity and
effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never
been greater.
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