Below is information from the Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9) newsroom.

June 3, 2021 —

The Coast Guard awarded contracts to four companies today, in a step toward acquiring the next generation of Coast Guard over the horizon cutter boats, the OTH V. The awardees are:

• Blackfish Solutions LLC of Anchorage, Alaska
• Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC of Jeanerette, Louisiana (doing business as Metal Shark Boats)
• Inventech Marine Solutions LLC of Bremerton, Washington
• MetalCraft Marine US, Inc. of Watertown, New York

Each awardee will produce a single boat that will be operated to demonstrate the actual capability of each design. Following the demonstration, a single contractor will be selected to produce the OTH V over the next 10 years. This production supports new cutter deliveries and recapitalization of OTH IVs. The total value of the indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity OTH V contract – which includes manufacture, delivery and logistical support – is approximately $100 million.

The requirements for OTH V are similar to the prior iteration, but are intended to incorporate technology improvements. The requirements include a minimum top speed of 38 knots, powered by a diesel engine with waterjet propulsion and a minimum range of 150 nautical miles. The OTH V will carry up to 13 people, with dimensions limited to 26 feet long by 8.5 feet wide, and a performance weight of approximately 8,700 pounds. The updated cutter boat will capture technology improvements for its waterjet, as well as upgraded versions of the scalable integrated navigation and automatic identification systems. This will also be the first Coast Guard boat to include a shock monitoring system providing the crew with real-time information about wave impacts on the vessel.

The OTH V will be deployed across the Coast Guard fleet, including national security cutters, fast response cutters, offshore patrol cutters, polar security cutters and legacy medium endurance cutters. Outfitted with a robust onboard navigation and communications system, the OTH V will provide a high speed capability to extend the parent cutters’ capabilities when deployed in support of multiple Coast Guard missions.

OTH Vs will support mission accomplishment in almost all mission areas, with emphasis on search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction operations, living marine resources, defense readiness and ports, waterways and coastal security.

For more information: Boat Acquisition program page