USCG receives fourth Legend-class NSC from Ingalls

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has taken delivery of the fourth Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) Hamilton (WMSL 753) from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division.

Scheduled for commissioning in Charleston on 6 December, the delivery of the vessel follows successful completion of Acceptance Sea trials held last month in the Gulf of Mexico.

The trials involved extensive assessment of the vessel’s propulsion, anchor handling, steering and combat systems, further resulting in the successful completion of a full-power propulsion run.

Ingalls Shipbuilding president Brian Cuccias said: "Our performance on the National Security Cutter program is a blueprint for success in building high-quality, affordable ships.

"We’ve significantly improved our learning, efficiency and affordability with each successive ship in the Legend class, and this one, our fourth, is the best yet."

Claimed to be the best National Security Cutter so far, the Hamilton offers a displacement capacity of 4,500t when fully loaded, while accommodating a 110 member-crew.

Aimed at replacing aging 378ft Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters from 1960s, the new 418ft-long and 54ft-wide Legend-class NSCs offer a maximum cruise speed of 28k with a range of 12,000 miles as well as an endurance of 60 days.

The NSCs are mainly aimed at meeting all maritime security mission requirements such as an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to house a range of manned and unmanned rotary-wing aircraft.

The Legend class vessels are capable of being deployed for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defence operations.

The shipbuilder has already delivered three ships of the class to the USCG, with three more under construction, while work on the seventh NSC, Kimball (WMSL 756), is scheduled to begin early next year.

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Image: Ingalls Shipbuilding president Brian Cuccias (right) and USCG assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisition officer rear admiral Bruce Baffer during the delivery ceremony. Image: courtesy of Andrew Young/HII.