The Coast Guard last Friday took deliver of its fifth National Security Cutter (NSC), the James, from shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII], officially adding the new high-endurance cutter to its surface fleet.
Official acceptance of the newest Legend-class NSC follows successful acceptance trials last month. The 418-foot James will be commissioned this August in Boston. The ship will be homeported in Charleston, S.C.
The Coast Guard is acquiring eight NSCs to replace 12 aging 378-foot Hamilton-class high endurance cutters.
The sixth NSC, the Munro, is schedule for delivery in 2016. In March the Coast Guard awarded a $500 million contract to HII for construction of the eighth NSC, the Midgett, which will be delivered in 2018.