The Coast Guard this week awarded Bollinger Shipyards a $166.1 million contract option to begin production on the next four Sentinel class Fast Response Cutters, raising to eight the number of the 154-foot vessels under contract.
The FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters at a value worth up to $1.5 billion. The service ultimately plans to build 58 FRCs. So far, Bollinger has received FRC contracts worth $410.7 million, with award of the lead vessel in September 2008.
The FRC will replace the Coast Guard’s fleet of 110-foot Island class patrol boats.
The lead vessel, named the Bernard C. Webber, is approximately 70 percent complete and is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of FY ’11. The first FRC will be homeported in Miami, Fla., supporting law enforcement and national security missions in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
Vessels two, three and four are approximately 40 percent, 15 percent, and 1 percent complete, respectively. Bollinger in December 2009 received a $141 million contract option for vessels two, three and four (Defense Daily, Dec. 16, 2009).
The FRC has a flank speed of 28 knots and will be armed with one stabilized, remotely operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine guns. The vessels are required to perform independently at sea for at least five days.