Austal Begins Work On OPC For USCG

Austal USA of Mobile recently began construction on the first U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC). Pickering (WSMM 919) is the first OPC being built under a contract that includes up to 11 cutters and has a potential value of $3.3 billion. USCG Rear Admiral Michael Campbell visited to celebrate the program, which will recapitalize USCG’s aging medium-endurance cutters and provide a capability bridge between the service’s national security cutters that operate in the open ocean and the fast-response cutters that operate closer to shore. The 360-ft OPC will support the national security strategy for maintaining the nation’s economic, social, environmental and military security mission areas. The steel-hulled ship will typically conduct its primary missions beyond 12 nautical mi. from shore and will be employed anywhere the national interests require USCG’s blend of authorities and capabilities.