Construction begins on third US Coast Guard offshore patrol cutter

Austal USA has begun construction on the third US Coast Guard Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter, the future USCGC Ingham, at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The vessel is being built under a contract that includes options for up to 11 cutters, with a potential total value of $3.3 billion.

The program is intended to replace the coast guard’s ageing fleet of medium-endurance cutters, providing a capability between its larger national security cutters and shore-based fast response vessels.

The 360-foot (109.7-metre) cutter is designed for 60 days of endurance and a range of 10,200 nautical miles (18,890 kilometres) at 14 knots. Its missions will include law enforcement, maritime interdiction and search and rescue.