HII to deliver sixth National Security Cutter for US Coast Guard

The US Coast Guard has awarded a $487m fixed-price-incentive-fee contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) to build the sixth National Security Cutter (NSC), Munro (WMSL 755).

Designed to replace the 378ft-long Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters which entered service during the 1960s, the NSCs can support all maritime and national security mission including Arctic exploration.

HII NSC programme manager Jim French said work on the NSC 6 is scheduled to begin in October this year while two more ships are currently under construction.

"Our shipbuilders continue to execute well on this contract, and the design/build plan is at a mature stage," French added.

Capable of accommodating a crew of 110, the 4,500t NSCs have a beam of 54ft, range of 12,000m and can cruise at a speed of 28k.

The vessel can be used for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defence missions.

Under the NSC programme, HII is responsible to integrate and test the NSC hull, mechanical and electrical (HME) systems, while Lockheed Martin will provide the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities for the cutters.

USCG has already received the first three, while the fourth NSC, Hamilton (WMSL 753) is likely to be launched this summer and will be christened in October.

Scheduled for launch in the spring of 2014, the fifth NSC, James (WMSL 754) is expected for keel-laying on 17 May.