June 2, 2021 —
The long range interceptor II significantly extends the national security cutter’s range. It allows teams to arrive on-scene quickly while executing missions such as drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement and search and rescue. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
The Coast Guard accepted delivery of the 12th and final long range interceptor II (LRI II) in Charleston, South Carolina, in April. This program delivered one LRI II for each of the first nine national security cutters (NSCs) and a maintenance relief hull for each NSC homeport – Charleston, South Carolina, Alameda, California, and Honolulu.
The LRIs are supported through the Surface Forces Logistics Center small boat product line as part of the centralized cutter boat pooling program. Through a coordinated cycle of preparing an LRI II for the extended NSC patrols, the Surface Forces Logistic Center has significantly improved their operational availability, similar to improvements that were made on the over the horizon IV (OTH IV) boats through the pooling program.
Built by MetalCraft Marine US Inc. of Watertown, New York, the first delivery was completed in February 2013. Over the past eight years, the company delivered LRIs, trailers and storage cradles to support maintenance and transportation as well as crew familiarization training.
At 35 feet long with a semi-enclosed cabin for crew protection, significantly increased seating capacity, dual engines, a range of 240 nautical miles, comparable speed at 40 knots and large cargo capacity, the LRI II provides increased capability that complements the NSC’s two smaller, open cockpit OTHs.
The LRI II program has been successful in meeting the NSC requirement for a large cutter boat with over-the-horizon capability and stern launch and recovery. A new LRI III program is taking shape to support deliveries to NSCs 10-11 and recapitalization of the LRI IIs as they reach the end of their service life.
Cutter boats deployed aboard cutters facilitate mission accomplishment in almost all mission areas, with emphasis in search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, living marine resources, defense readiness, and ports, waterway and coastal security.
For more information: Boat Acquisition Program page.