Marine Log has used the occasion of a reported contract for long Lead Time items for NSC#7, to give us a status report on the entire National Security Cutter Project.

This is in response to Bill Smith’s suggestion, ” I’d love to see 1 page with each of the design’s made public so far shown.  It would make a great comparison of the concepts.”

No new information here, but it will, hopefully, make it easier to find some of the information already presented, including some that might have been given only in the comments.

Unfortunately the information is very limited. There have been almost no specifics provided for any of the designs. Only Vigor has chosen to discuss the details of their design, with its Ulstein X-bow. It is reported to have a length of 328 feet, a beam of 54 feet, a draft of 16.5 feet, and a max speed of 22knots. That is a relatively large ship. I do like its volume and the reconfigurable space they included. Their concept is discussed here: “Unconventional Contender for the Offshore Patrol Cutter”

VT Halter has partnered with DCNS. A concept that accompanied their announcement is discussed here: “VT Halter Marine and DCNS to Partner for OPC Bid.” Their proposal appears to be similar to the ships DCNS has designed to fulfill a Malaysian requirement for six “Littoral combat Ships.” Those ships are reported to be 107 meters long, a 16 meter beam, and 2,750 ton displacement.

The only information we have from Huntington Ingalls is this photo from a DefenseNews.Com report.

Bollinger seems likely to use a Damen design, as they did for the 87foot WPBs and the 154 foot WPCs. We have seen artists renderings of the Netherlands Navy’s Holland Class OPV in Coast Guard colors, and we have also seen a rendering of an upgraded Bollinger shipyard with a Holland Class under construction, but so far I have seen no announcement of what design they will actually build. I have always felt the Holland class was a bit more ship than the Coast Guard could afford for a class that emphasizes “affordability,” and is expected to cost about half of what the NSC costs. Damen has a large portfolio of designs that they discuss here: http://offshore-patrol-security.com/cms-assets/documents/59716-108335.damen-opv-presentation-portsmouth-2012.pdf Of the designs presented the 2400 and 2600 tons designs appear closest to Coast Guard specifications but even they would likely have to be modified. There is a rendering of a cutter in Coast Guard colors on the last page.

Marinette Marine‘s concept is reported here: http://www.marinettemarine.com/opc.html As part of the Fincantieri Group it appears they may be offering a modified version of the Italian Navy’s Commandante Class patrol vessel. An obvious difference is that the Marinette Marine concept has the bow raised a deck. No specs were provided for OPC concept. Below are the specs for the Italian vessels which would almost certainly have to be enlarged to meet the range and seakeeping requirements of the OPC program.

• Crew: 80 total including 8 officers
• Overall Length: 88.4m (292 ft)
• Length at Waterline: 80.3m (265 ft)
• Beam: 12.2m (40.26 ft)
• Draught: 4.6m (15.2 ft)
• Full Load Displacement: 1,520 tons
• Armament: 1×76 mm, 2x25mm
• Speed: 25 knots
• Range: 3,500 nmi
• Helo deck and hanger for NH90 (essentially the same size as an MH-60)

Eastern has published a conceptual rendering as a single page pdf discussed here: https://chuckhillscgblog.net/2013/06/11/easterns-opc-concept/ It is limited to some drawings depicting the interior and one exterior viewed as if the observer was in an elevated position off the ship’s starboard bow.

So far I have seen no information about the proposals from NASSCO or Bath Iron Works.

gCaptain reports

Incat Crowther and Marine Engineering Consultants (MEC) have started work on the construction of a 24m long-range catamaran patrol vessel that will work to protect the Great Barrier Reef, Incat Crowther said Wednesday.

Among its features are solar panels and storage batteries to relieve the generators of some of the housekeeping load and possibly for loiter propulsion.

H_K found an Eastern Shipbuilding advertisement showing there conceptual design for the OPC. You can see it here: http://www.easternshipbuilding.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2013/06/ESG-OPCFullPageWeb1.pdf

Not a bad looking little ship. Looks like with the location of the stack, the hangar may be offset to port. I don’t like the fact that the 57mm is sitting low relative to the bulwarks of the bow.

As H_K noted this does look a lot like New Zealand’s Protector Class OPVs.

We have a report of the establishment of another Coast Guard. This time it is for Djibouti.

Apparently the USCG and France were also involved, but interestingly this is another example of the Japanese assisting in development of Coast Guards in other countries.  They have also promised substantial aid to the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Acquisitions Directorate reports they have placed orders for

Twenty 29 foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S II) from Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette, La., valued at $6.6 million.  “This latest delivery order brings the total number of boats on order to 84.  To date, 41 RB-S IIs have been delivered to the Coast Guard.”

“Sixteen Cutter Boat-Over the Horizon-IVs (CB-OTH-IV) and associated parts and logistics information from SAFE Boats International LLC of Bremerton, Wash.  The cost of the order is $6.55 million.”

“Fourteen of the sixteen cutter boats from this order will be assigned to the FRC fleet (two to be used as spares).  Two of the cutter boats will be assigned to the NSC fleet.”

“Under the current contract, up to 101 OTH-IV cutter boats may be ordered over a seven year period.  The Coast Guard may order up to 71 boats, and the contract includes up to 10 boats for the U.S. Navy and up to 20 boats for Customs and Border Protection.  The contract has a cost ceiling of $58.9 million. “