Atlantic Organization for Security (AOS)

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US Coast Guard: $69M to LM for Maritime Control

by · May 28, 2014

uscg cutter

Lockheed Martin received from the prime, Huntington Ingalls Industries, a $69 million contract to support the United States Coast Guard’s efforts to enforce maritime sovereignty and address at-sea threats.

Huntington Ingalls Industries builds the NSC hulls and mechanical and electrical systems, while Lockheed Martin builds and integrates the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities

Lockheed Martin’s C4ISR system offers comprehensive, real-time situational awareness, commonality and interoperability, which enables a greater collection and sharing of maritime data. It allows the crew to see vessels in distress or targets of interest; collaborate with other Coast Guard air, sea and land assets; and act on the most current information available.

Lockheed Martin has provided the C4ISR systems to all six of the NSCs.

The ship

The Coast Guard’s program of record (POR) calls for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) as replacements for 90 aging Coast Guard cutters and patrol craft. The NSC, OPC, and FRC

The programs have a combined estimated acquisition cost of about $21.1 billion,

The NSC, also known as the Legend-class cutter and Maritime Security Cutter, Large, is the largest and most technologically advanced multi-mission cutter in the Coast Guard fleet, with capabilities to support the service’s homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions and its production is included in the Integrated Deepwater System Program.

The Legend-class cutters are the second longest of all U.S. Coast Guard cutters, behind the research icebreaker Healy, and will replace the twelve Hamilton class cutters in service. 

These cutters are envisioned by the Coast Guard as being able to undertake the entire range of the High Endurance Cutter roles with additional upgrades to make it more of an asset to the Department of Defense during declared national emergency contingencies.

These vessels can be used for intercepting suspect vessels, or for rescuing swimmers, fishery protection, maritime homeland security missions, counter terrorism, or coastal patrol missions.

The NSC is built to about 90% military standards.[10]

Combat suite

  • Legend-class cutters have increased data link bandwidth.
  • TheEADS North America TRS-3D radar system provides three-dimensional air and surface search functions and is used in the LCS program as well as the GermanKorvette 130 program.
  • The cutters are also equipped with the AN/SLQ-32Electronic Warfare (EW) system used in the DDG-51.
  • The Legend class is equipped with the same 220 rpm Bofors 57 mm gun as mounted on the USN’s LCS.
  • The Missile Defense duties are handled by the MK 36 SRBOC decoy systems also used on the FFG-7 and CG-47 programs and the CIWS.
  • The sonar is reported as having mine and underwater swimmer location ability

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