Eastern Shipbuilding photo
The first major milestone in the construction of the first OPC has been achieved. Steel was cut January 7.
Eastern Shipbuilding photo
Unfortunately because of the travel restrictions of the Government Shutdown, no Coast Guard flag officers or Department of Homeland Security dignitaries were present.
Eastern Shipbuilding photo
Thanks to Eastern Shipbuilding for the use of the photos.
Congratulations to Eastern Shipbuilding team on this important milestone.
Eastern Shipbuilding has a reputation for on-time and on-budget deliveries. It will be interesting to see how they do on their first government contract. If they maintain that standard, it could be instructive to some other shipyards and a warning shot across the bow to some in the long term. OPC today….FFG or DDG capabilities 20 years from now.
DRS Jan 15 announced receipt of Eastern Shipbuilding contract for second OPC hybrid electric drive, coupled to the main propulsion gearbox for the auxiliary propulsion system, the first DRS OPC HED system is set to be delivered in mid 2019 (Eastern Shipbuilding Group was awarded construction of the Lead Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and for the Long Lead Time Material for the second OPC, September 28, 2018).
As yet have seen no mention of which company won the contract for the main propulsion gearbox, guessing RENK.
These are going to be some great ships.
I wonder if we can start discussing the potential crew, or is it too early? Think these will be crewed a lot like a WMEC, or will the additional size and capability require more of a WHEC-sized crew? Change in rank for the CO (like O-5)?
The crew has already been studied, there used to be a link with a detail breakout. The crew is going to be similar to a 270, probably slightly larger. At one point the objective was a crew of 90 and the threshold was a crew of 104. This was reflected in the specs which did change over time. I would expect the CO to be an O-5. If I remember correctly the accommodations are for 122 or 126. That accounts for the crew, the AvDet, and up to 11 eleven in an signals intel detachment, plus a few supernumeraries.
Looking back over some of the older posts, I am reminded we are running two years behind the schedules published in 2012.
Thanks, Chuck!!
NavalNews has a pic of the DRS HED/PMM OPC? taken at SNA 2019, was surprised how small, looks ~ 3′ x 3′ x 2′ in relation to figures in pic. You mentioned previously motor rated at 625HP [466 kW] and will be downrated to 450HP [366 kW].
https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/sna-2019/2019/01/leonardo-drs-to-provide-advanced-hybrid-electric-drive-for-2nd-uscg-opc/
Bet there will need to be some safety warnings about wearing metal/magnetic near that! To make power that small, those are certainly strong magnets!
Nick, thanks, that is really small. They tie into the reduction gears. Glad to see us doing this, although was hoping for higher power.
Update NavalNews SNA video day 2 features the DRS-HED at 11:10 min. with more detail.
OPS DRS PA44 permanent magnet motor/generator 625HP, 1,100 ft lbs @3,000rpm, 395 lbs, 1.6 lb per hp.
DRS say power dense, fuel efficient, very light weight and small, low maintenance.