National Security Cutters Joining the Fleet

The U.S. Coast Guard's National Security Cutter program is right on track.Three of the planned eight vessels have been delivered,and a fourth is under construction. The NSC is the Coast Guard's largest cutter.It is 418 feet long,with a beam of 54 feet.The ship can carry up to two helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles.With a crew of 108,an NSC can sail at up to 28 knots on its three engines.Its armament consists of a Mk110 57mm gun,as well as a Phalanx Mk 15 CIWS,or Close-In Weapons System,and four M2 .50-caliber machine guns. Some of the missions the NSCs have been on include drug interdiction;Arctic patrol;and operations and exercises abroad in support of the Department of Defense.Huntington Ingalls Industries and Lockheed Martin are the program's prime contractors. The oldest of the NSCs is USCGC Bertholf(WMSL 750),which was commissioned in 2008. Huntington Ingalls Industries(HII),Lockheed Martin(LMT)