The Coast Guard last Thursday awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group a $356.5 million contract to begin construction of the third Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and acquire long-lead time materials for the fourth ship.
The award for the third OPC, the Ingham, is for $307.9 million and the value of the long-lead time materials for the fourth ship is $48.6 million.
The Ingham will be delivered in 2024 and the fourth OPC is scheduled to go on contract in fiscal year 2022 with delivery expected in FY ’25.
Long-lead time materials included in the contract to support construction of the fourth OPC are the propeller and steering components, marine diesel engines, the ship integrated control system, switchboards and generators.
Eastern Shipbuilding is more than 40 percent complete with construction of the first 360-foot OPC, the Argus, which is scheduled for delivery in late 2022. Construction of the second ship, the Chase, is in the low teen digits. The second OPC is scheduled for delivery in 2023.
The Coast Guard ultimately plans to acquire 25 OPCs, which is the service’s top investment priority. The Coast Guard is currently hosting a competition to recompete the program beginning with the fifth ship. The winner of that contract, which is tracking for early 2022, is expected to build the next 11 vessels.
The Coast Guard in the fall of 2018 awarded Eastern Shipbuilding a $317.5 million contract to build the Argus and acquire long-lead items for the Chase. In April 2020, the service awarded the shipbuilder $343 million to build the Chase and begin acquiring long-lead materials for the Ingham.
The OPCs will replace the Coast Guard’s fleet of 210-foot and 270-foot medium endurance cutters that are aging and costly to maintain. Maintenance issues with the legacy cutters are also leading to missed patrol operations.
The OPCs will be able to deploy independently or as part of task groups and will help with interdicting smugglers and undocumented migrants at sea, rescue operations, enforcing fisheries laws, and responding to disasters and protecting the nation’s ports.