July 26, 2024 —
Coast Guard Cutter Legare arrives at Coast Guard Yard for its service life extension program (SLEP) activities on June 24, 2024. The SLEP is expected to take 15 months to complete. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Garza.
Coast Guard Cutter Legare, a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter, began service life extension program (SLEP) activities following its arrival at Coast Guard Yard on June 24.
The SLEP, part of the In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) Program, will address four main areas encompassing electrical, weapons system, engine and structural components of the cutter. Work is scheduled to take 15 months to complete, Legare is the second medium endurance cutter to receive all major work items, including new main diesel engines. Coast Guard Cutter Spencer is also currently undergoing its SLEP.
Four additional medium endurance cutters – Campbell, Forward, Escanaba and Tahoma – are schedule to undergo SLEPs by the spring of 2029. Coast Guard Cutters Seneca and Harriet Lane served as prototypes for the electrical and structural work. Harriet Lane also served as a prototype for the gun weapons system.
The work involves targeted system replacements to address system reliability, supportability and obsolescence. SLEP work is completed at Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore concurrently with regular maintenance activities to achieve overall schedule and cost savings. The work will facilitate continued medium endurance cutter operations during the service’s transition to the future offshore patrol cutter class.
The ISVS Program restores mission readiness, improves reliability and reduces maintenance costs of the service’s legacy cutter fleet through two types of projects: major maintenance availabilities and SLEPs.
For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program page