Austal USA receives $273m contract for second new offshore patrol cutter

Austal USA has received a contract option award from the US Coast Guard (USCG) valued at $273 million for the construction of the second Stage 2 Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC). Construction has commenced on the new vessel, which will be named Icarus, at the company's shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The award is part of a larger contract that includes options for up to 11 OPCs, with a potential total value of $3.3 billion. This latest award also includes funding for the acquisition of long lead-time material to support the construction of a third Stage 2 OPC.

Paddy Gregg, CEO of Australian parent company Austal, noted that the Austal USA team has optimised the hull structure design for the Pickering, which is the first vessel of the series that the company built, and will deliver a more efficient build process and a longer vessel life expectancy. The company has also developed a new 3-D model of the OPC to improve manufacturing productivity.

The company said the 110-metre OPCs, which have a range of 10,200 nautical miles (18,890 kilometres) at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance period, will provide the majority of the USCG’s offshore presence, conducting missions including law enforcement and search and rescue.