Austal USA has begun construction on the third US Coast Guard Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter, the future USCGC Ingham, at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
The vessel is being built under a contract that includes options for up to 11 cutters, with a potential total value of $3.3 billion.
The program is intended to replace the coast guard’s ageing fleet of medium-endurance cutters, providing a capability between its larger national security cutters and shore-based fast response vessels.
The 360-foot (109.7-metre) cutter is designed for 60 days of endurance and a range of 10,200 nautical miles (18,890 kilometres) at 14 knots. Its missions will include law enforcement, maritime interdiction and search and rescue.
The cutters will be capable of operating independently or as part of task groups during surge operations. They will also support Arctic missions, including activities related to commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.
Austal USA is using modular construction and a 3D model developed during the design phase to outfit vessel sections before assembly. The future USCGC Pickering and USCGC Icarus are also under construction at the yard.
The shipyard’s steel construction program also includes four landing craft utility vessels and three Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ships.
It is also building an auxiliary floating dry dock medium and submarine modules for the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine programs.