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Homeland Security

Austal Begins Construction Of Fifth Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter

By Cal Biesecker

Friday, August 30th, 2024

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Austal Begins Construction Of Fifth Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter

Production begins for the Coast Guard’s fifth offshore patrol cutter, the Pickering, in August 2024. (Photo: Austal USA)

Austal USA last Thursday said it has begun construction of the Coast Guard’s fifth offshore patrol cutter (OPC), the future Coast Guard Cutter Pickering, under a potential $3.3 billion contract the company won in June 2022 for the second stage of the program. In Stage 2, Alabama-based Austal USA will build up to 11 OPCs with Pickering scheduled for delivery in late 2027. The overall program of record is for 25 vessels. The first four OPCs are being built by…

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