Ingalls Awarded NSC Advance Procurement Contract

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $97 million fixed-price advance procurement contract from the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday to purchase long-lead materials for an 11th National Security Cutter (NSC).

The funds will be used to purchase major components for NSC 11, such as steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.

Ingalls has delivered seven NSCs, the flagship of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, designed to replace the 12 Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters that entered service in the 1960s.

NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

According to the builder, the Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. The cutter includes 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. It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.