Ingalls completes builder’s sea trials of fifth US Coast Guard NSC

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has completed builder’s sea trials of its fifth US Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), Joshua James (WMSL 754).

Constructed at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, the ship underwent trials for three days in the Gulf of Mexico to test all of its systems.

Ingalls NSC programme manager Jim French said: "Our shipbuilding team continues to incorporate learning from ship to ship, making this a very stable programme across the board.

"We’ve got a good NSC core team who work the same areas of each ship, and we are seeing the benefits associated with this serial production. It’s the most affordable way to build a class of ships."

Ingalls’ team carried out sea trials, including an extensive testing of the propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor handling, small boat operations and combat systems.

The team successfully completed a four-hour and full-power propulsion run on James.

Ingalls programme management and test and trials vice-president Richard Schenk said: "The Ingalls operating crew performed more than 180 events and handled each one with the utmost professionalism."

Ingalls supplied four NSCs and is developing three additional NSCs, including James. It also received construction contract for an eighth NSC.

Designed to replace the 378ft-long Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, the 418ft-long and 54ft-wide NSCs have a displacement capacity of 4,500t with a full load, and they have a top speed of 28k, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and can carry a crew of 120.

The Legend-class NSC 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.

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Image: Joshua James sails in the Gulf of Mexico during builder’s sea trials. Photo: courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.