Aug. 6, 2021 —
The Coast Guard exercised a contract option Aug. 4 for production of four more Sentinel-class fast response cutters (FRCs) and associated deliverables worth about $212.9 million with Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana.
This option brings the total number of FRCs under contract with Bollinger to 64 and the total value of the Phase 2 contract to approximately $1.7 billion. The FRCs built under this option will be delivered between October 2024 and June 2025.
To date, there are 43 FRCs in operational service.
FRCs have a maximum speed of over 28 knots, a range of 2,500 nautical miles and an endurance of five days. The ships are designed for multiple missions, including drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. They feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping.
For more information: Fast Response Cutter Program page