HII to build eighth NSC for USCG

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $499.8m contract to build an eighth national security cutter (NSC), Midgett (WMSL 757) for the US Coast Guard (USCG).

Under the fixed-price incentive contract, HII will build and deliver the eighth Legend-class NSC to the US Coast Guard in 2019.

Ingalls National Security Cutter programme manager Jim French said: "We are performing extremely well in this program, proving the point that serial production is the most efficient and effective way to build complex military ships."

The company has delivered a total of four NSCs to the USCG and is developing three more vessels, including James (WMSL 754), Munro (WMSL 755) and Kimball (WMSL 756) which are scheduled to be delivered in 2015, 2016 and 2018, respectively.

The national security cutters will replace the USCG’s 378ft-long Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, which were commissioned during the 1960s.

Capable of accommodating a crew of 120, the 418ft-long NSCs have a displacement capacity of 4,500t with a full load, a range of 12,000 miles, and are capable of cruising at a top speed of 28k.

Designed to meet all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter, the Legend-class NSC features a 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.

The Legend-class vessels will be used by the Coast Guard for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.

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Image: National Security Cutter Hamilton (WMSL 753). Photo: courtesy of Lance Davis/HII.