MOBILE — The U.S. Coast Guard exercised options worth $314 million to shipbuilder Austal USA for additional production in the Offshore Patrol Cutter program, the company recently announced.
The contract options provide Austal USA approval to order long lead-time materials for another three cutter vessels. They will be the fourth, fifth and sixth produced by Austal USA, which is based in Mobile.
Funds also are being provided for logistic supply items for two cutters.
The original contract was awarded to Austal USA in June 2022. It included detail design and construction for up to 11 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) with a potential value of $3.3 billion.
“We are pleased to receive these contract options for long lead-time materials in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s OPC program,” Austal USA President Michelle Kruger said in a press statement. “These early awards speak to the strong partnership that has developed between the Coast Guard and Austal USA teams. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership and deliver these much-needed cutters.”
Work on Austal USA’s first OPC, Pickering (WMSMS 919), is well under way with the keel-laying planned for December.
Construction began on Icarus (WMSMS 920) in early August.
The 360-foot OPC will support the national security strategy for maintaining the nation’s economic, social, environmental and military security mission areas, company materials said.
The OPC will typically conduct its primary missions beyond 12 nautical miles from shore and will be employed anywhere the national interests require the Coast Guard’s unique blend of authorities and capabilities.
OPC will provide the majority of the Coast Guard’s offshore presence conducting a variety of missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search-and-rescue.
With a range of 10,200 nautical miles at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance period, each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups, serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events.
The cutters also will support Arctic objectives by helping regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.
Information in this report was provided by Austal USA public affairs.
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