USCG’s ninth National Security Cutter completes acceptance trials

Ingalls Shipbuilding has successfully completed acceptance trials for the U.S. Coast Guard’s ninth National Security Cutter, Stone (WMSL 758). [Photo by Lance Davis/HII]

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division reports that the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest national security cutter, Stone (WMSL 758) has successfully completed two days of acceptance sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico proving its systems.

“I am very proud of the Ingalls team that conducted another outstanding acceptance trial on our ninth national security cutter Stone. This ship, like all of the national security cutters we have delivered, will be capable of undertaking the most challenging Coast Guard missions with great capability and endurance,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. “We are proud of our shipbuilders and the state-of-the-art design and construction of Stone, and we look forward to the ship’s upcoming delivery.”

Ingalls has delivered eight Legend-class NSCs with two more under construction and one additional under contract. Stone is scheduled to deliver later this year and will be homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.

NSC 9 was named to honor Coast Guard officer Commander Elmer “Archie” Fowler Stone, Coast Guard aviator number one, who made history in 1919 for being one of two Coast Guard pilots in the four man air crew who completed the first transatlantic flight in a Navy seaplane.

The Legend-class NSCs are 418 feet long with a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.