
The Coast Guard requested $18.5 million for Fiscal Year 2016 for its top priority Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program, but that’s not enough to move forward and recapitalize the ships that would replace medium endurance cutters, the Commandant on Tuesday told the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) homeland security panel.“I’ve requested full funding; I’m short about $69 million to proceed forward with the final design of this (OPC),” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft told the HAC panel.The funds would allow…