The U.S. Coast Guard yesterday announced that they have awarded a contract to begin production and delivery work on the third ship of the Legends class of National Security Cutters (WMSL 752), a new and highly capable high-endurance cutter. This contract awarded to Integrated Coast Guard Systems, valued at $337 million, initiates the effort to build the third ship of the most advanced cutter class in the Coast Guard's fleet.

"The contract award for the third National Security Cutter is a significant milestone for the Coast Guard," said Rear Adm. Gary T. Blore, assistant commandant for acquisition. "This agreement ensures that the NSC will meet our demanding, post-9/11 operational requirements. We are very pleased that the negotiating teams from the Coast Guard and our industry suppliers were able to derive best value for the American taxpayer, to bring these vital platforms to the fleet."

"The National Security Cutter team is ready and eager to begin construction on this ship and have it join the two others already under construction," said Jamie Anton, vice president and general manager of Coast Guard business for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. "With world class production efficiencies and ever improving manufacturing metrics to rival any class of ship, we are poised to provide the best product built to fulfill the Coast Guard's multiple maritime missions. Our entire NSC production team will continue to implement improvements in the ships we deliver to our customer."

"We remain fully committed to our Coast Guard customer to deliver comprehensive command and control capabilities aboard its fleet of new National Security Cutters," said Leo Mackay, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Coast Guard Systems. "This third cutter promises to join Bertholf and Waesche as the most capable surface vessels in the history of the Coast Guard."

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems is leading the production effort along with Lockheed Martin, which is building and integrating the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities onboard. The ship will be manufactured in Pascagoula, Miss.

The C4ISR system aboard the NSC is critical to assuring the crew can see vessels in distress or targets of interest; collaborate with other Coast Guard assets at sea, in the air and ashore; and take action on the most current and pertinent information available. The interoperability provided by the C4ISR system also helps assure the cutter can work with 117 agencies and organizations in achieving robust homeland security.

The third NSC will be a 418-foot vessel with a 4,300 ton displacement at full load powered by a combined diesel and gas turbine power propulsion plant driving twin screws with a maximum speed of 28 knots. The cutter will include an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats, an expansive flight deck able to accommodate a range of rotary wing manned and unmanned aircraft and state of the art command and control systems. In addition, the cutter features improved habitability and a sailor-centric design to facilitate optimized crewing and enhance onboard quality of life for a mixed gender crew.

About Integrated Coast Guard Systems

ICGS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman . ICGS was awarded the Coast Guard's Deepwater contract in June 2002 and has been renewed through January 2011. Headquartered in Rosslyn, Va., core leadership teams are co-located in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

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SOURCE: Integrated Coast Guard Systems