The Coast Guard on Monday awarded Bollinger Shipyards a $222 million contract option for four Fast Response Cutters (FRCs), raising the total number of short-range patrol craft under contract to 60.
The 154-foot FRCs built under the latest contract option will be delivered in 2024, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard plans to buy 64 of the Sentinel-class cutters.
Currently, 38 FRCs are in operation with the Coast Guard.
The first 32 FRCs were produced under a $1.5 billion contract. The contract for the final 32 ships is valued at $1.7 billion.
In August 2019, Bollinger received a $297.4 million contract option for FRCs 51-56.
The FRCs have a maximum speed of over 28 knots, a range of 2,500 nautical miles and a five-day endurance. The ships conduct the full-range of Coast Guard missions.