Northrop Grumman, PASCAGOULA: Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded $285.5 million for construction of the third National Security Cutter (WMSL 752), the newest and most capable multi-mission cutter in the United States Coast Guard fleet.
The contract is being funded under the Integrated Deepwater System program. This contract brings the most advanced cutter class in the Coast Guard one step closer to delivery and leverages significant continued production savings by sharing the same design and production team with the first two cutters in the class.
“This cutter is the third in the class of new, high performance cutters that will significantly enhance the maritime security capabilities and mission execution of the United States Coast Guard,” said Philip Teel, president of Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector. “We are proud to serve our Coast Guard customer.”
The design for the National Security Cutter (NSC) has evolved since the first NSC was proposed in 2002 to meet additional, homeland security-specific requirements identified by the Coast Guard for operations in a post-9/11 operating environment. These include Chemical, Biological and Radiological facilities, a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), and more robust aviation installations, among others.
Northrop Grumman is leading the construction effort, and the ship will be manufactured at the company's Pascagoula facility.
The NSC will be 418 feet long 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.
“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. With world class production efficiencies and ever improving manufacturing metrics that rival those of any class of ship, we are poised to provide the best product built to fulfill the Coast Guard's multiple maritime missions,” said Jamie Anton, vice president and general manager of Coast Guard programs for Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector. “Our entire NSC production team will continue to implement improvements in the ships we deliver to our customer.”
Northrop Grumman is building the NSC under contract from Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a joint venture of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Partner Lockheed Martin is designing and integrating the command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for the NSC under this contract.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
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