Austal USA has received a USD 273 million contract option from the United States Coast Guard for the construction of a second Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and the procurement of long lead-time materials for a third vessel.
The contract is part of a broader program with options for up to 11 OPCs, potentially worth up to USD 3.3 billion, Austal stated in a news release.
Construction of the second OPC, named Icarus (WSMM 920), has commenced at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg said the program is progressing well, with the company implementing a strategic approach to vessel construction.
“The Austal USA team have optimised the hull structure design of the first steel-hull OPC, Pickering, which will deliver a more efficient build process, a reduction in vessel weight and ultimately a longer vessel life expectancy,” Gregg said.
He added that Austal USA has leveraged advanced digital modelling to improve manufacturing outcomes. “Austal USA has also developed a new 3-D model of the OPC that is enabling each vessel module manufactured in Mobile, Alabama to be completed to an industry-leading level of completion,” Gregg said.
“The team are effectively setting new benchmarks for manufacturing productivity and efficiency with the OPC program.”
The 110-metre OPCs will support the US Coast Guard’s offshore operations, including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue missions.
According to Austal, each vessel will have a range of 10,200 nautical miles at 14 knots and an endurance of up to 60 days, allowing for independent or task group deployment.
The cutters are also designed to function as mobile command and control centres during emergency operations such as hurricane response and mass migration events, and are expected to contribute to Arctic missions by supporting regulation and protection of commerce and energy interests in Alaska.
The content of this article is based on information supplied by Austal Limited. For more information, please refer to the official company announcement and communications from Austal. Please consult a licensed and/or registered professional in this area before making any decisions based on the content of this article.
