Article Posted on : - Apr 09, 2012

Third NSC, Stratton WMSL 752. Photo: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc./Ron Elias

PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI (BNS): Ingalls Shipbuilding has received a $76 million fixed-price contract from the US Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for a sixth National Security Cutter (NSC).

Construction and delivery of the yet-to-be-named WMSL 755 will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility. A second phase of the contract, when awarded, would bring the overall value to $88 million.

The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major items for WMSL 755, including steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.

Ingalls has delivered the first three NSCs, 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.

The first two ships are performing missions for the Coast Guard. The third ship, Stratton WMSL 752, was commissioned on March 31 in Alameda, California.

The fourth NSC, also named Hamilton WMSL 753, is currently under construction, and the fifth, Joshua James WMSL 754, will start fabrication later this year.

Ingalls builds the NSC hulls and mechanical and electrical systems, while Lockheed Martin builds and integrates the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities.

NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110.