USCG awards Austal USA $314M for OPC long lead time materials

Image: ESG/USCG

Austal Limited (ASX: ASB) reports that the United States Coast Guard has exercised options with its Austal USA subsidiary worth US$314 million (The contract options approve Austal to order long lead time materials LLTM) for another three Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), Austal USA’s fourth and sixth cutters. Funds have also been provided for logistic supply items for two OPCs.

The original OPC contract was awarded to Austal USA in June 2022 for detail design and construction of up to 11 OPCs, with a potential value of US$3.3 billion. To date, two of 11 OPCs in the contract have been awarded to Austal USA, as well as LLTM for a third.

“These early awards reflect the strong partnership that has quickly developed between the Coast Guard and Austal USA teams, and provide an important sign of intent for OPCs 3-6,” said Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg.

Work on Austal USA’s first OPC, Pickering (WMSMS 919), is well underway with the keel laying planned for December. Construction began on Icarus (WMSMS 920) in early August.

The U.S. Coast Guard Acquisitions Directorate says that the acquisition of the offshore patrol cutter (OPC) is one of the Coast Guard’s highest investment priorities. The 360-foot OPC will provide a capability bridge between the national security cutter, which patrols the open ocean in the most demanding maritime environments, and the fast response cutter, which serves closer to shore. The ships will feature state-of-the-market technology and will replace the service’s 270-foot and 210-foot medium endurance cutters, which are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and operate.

The OPCs will provide the majority of offshore presence for the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, bridging the capabilities of the 418-foot national security cutters, which patrol the open ocean, and the 154-foot fast response cutters, which serve closer to shore. The OPCs will conduct missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and other homeland security and defense operations. Each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups and serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events. The cutters will also support Arctic objectives by helping regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.