Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division recently delivered the third national security cutter to the U.S. Coast Guard.
A shipboard ceremony officially transferred ownership of Stratton (WMSL 752) from Ingalls to the Coast Guard.
"We have reduced the production schedule, man-hours and sea trial cards on NSC 3," Ingalls Shipbuilding President Irwin Edenzon said.
"We are proud of these accomplishments because they are a cornerstone in the relationship Ingalls has formed with the Coast Guard-a relationship that has allowed us to achieve stability in the class plan for building NSCs, which allows us to continue to improve the building process for these great ships."
Ingalls has delivered three national security cutters -- the flagship of the Coast Guard's cutter fleet -- designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, which entered service during the 1960s.
"This ship has come along further than her predecessors," said Rear Admiral John Korn, the Coast Guard's assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisition officer. "All three NSCs are great ships, but this one has made several improvements in critical learning from Bertholf and Waesche."
Ingalls builds the NSC hull and mechanical and electrical systems, while Lockheed Martin builds and integrates the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities on board the cutters.
Cutters Play a Key Role
The national security cutters are 418 feet long, with a 54-foot beam, displacing 4,500 tons with a full load.
They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110.
The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security-mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter.
The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid-hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft.
"It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions," Huntington Ingalls said in a news release.
"This class of cutters plays an important role enhancing the Coast Guard's operational readiness, capacity and effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never been greater," the company said.
