Bollinger Shipyards, USA, has been awarded a contract valued at over US$142 million to build an additional three Sentinel-class, 47-metre patrol boats, for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
The initial contract for the design and construction of the lead ship in the class was awarded to Bollinger in September 2008. Under the current contract options, the Coast Guard can buy up to thirty-four patrol boats with Bollinger for a total value of over $1.6 billion. The Sentinel-class cutters will replace the 33.5-metre Island-class that Bollinger built in the 1980s.
The cutters will have a top speed over 28 knots and will be able to perform seven-day patrols with their crew of 22. The cutter will also have a 40-knot rigid inflatable boat (RIB) that can be rapidly deployed using an innovative stern launching system.