US Coast Guard exercises options for additional Heritage-class patrol cutters

The US Coast Guard has exercised options worth US$314 million with defence shipbuilder Austal USA for the offshore patrol cutter (OPC) program.

The contract options will enable Austal to order long lead time materials (LLTM) for another three OPCs, making these the fourth, fifth and sixth OPCs to be built by the company.

Funds have also been provided for logistic supply items for two OPCs.

The original OPC contract was awarded to Austal USA in June 2022 for detail design and construction of up to 11 OPCs, with a potential value of US$3.3 billion. To date, two of the 11 OPCs in the contract have been awarded to Austal USA, as well as LLTM for a third vessel.

Work on Austal USA’s first OPC, the future USCGC Pickering, is underway with the keel-laying planned for December 2025. Construction began on Austal's second OPC, the future USCGC Icarus, in early August.

The Heritage-class OPCs will provide the majority of the coast guard’s offshore presence conducting a variety of missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue.

With a range of 10,200 nautical miles at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance period, each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups, serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents, and other events.

The cutters will also support Arctic objectives by helping regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.