HII to build additional NSCs for USCG

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division received contracts in December to build additional National Security Cutters (NSC) for the US Coast Guard.

The contract values for the tenth and 11th NSCs are $468.75 million and $462.13 million, respectively.

The Legend-class NSCs include 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.

NSCs are 418ft vessels with 54ft beam and a displacement of 4,500t with full load. They have a top speed of 28kts, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and can accommodate a crew of 120.

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

To date, Ingalls has delivered seven NSCs to replace the Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters that entered service in the 1960s. The seventh ship, Kimball, will be commissioned in Hawaii on 19 January. The eighth and ninth ships, Midgett and Stone, are currently under construction.

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Legend Class (National Security Cutter)