*The Coast Guard has awarded Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., an initial $88 million contract for the design and construction of the lead boat for the new Sentinel class 153- foot Fast Response Cutter. The potential value of the award, if all 34 FRCs are built, is $1.5 billion. The first cutter will be named the Sentinel and is scheduled to be delivered in the fall of 2010. The 12th vessel is expected to be delivered in the fall of 2012. The Sentinel class will be based on a proven and operationally fielded Dutch parent craft design called the Damen 4708, designed and built by Damen Shipyards. The Sentinel fleet will eventually replace the Coast Guard’s 110-foot Island class cutters. The Coast Guard has also decided not to move ahead with parallel effort for a second FRC based on a composite hull design, saying the technology isn’t mature enough now and in the foreseeable future.
*American Science and Engineering [ASEI] received a $1.1 million contract from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 17 Gemini dual-energy X-Ray systems. AS&E declined to say if FEMA is a new customer for the company.