Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards has submitted a proposal to the US Coast Guard to build stage two of the Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC) program.
If chosen, Bollinger will construct and deliver a total of 11 OPCs to the coast guard over the next decade.
The coast guard expects the OPCs to bridge the capability gap between the services's 418-foot (127.4-metre) Legend class national security cutters and the 154-foot (46.9-metre) Sentinel-class fast response cutters. The OPCs will conduct missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and other homeland security and defense operations.
Each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups and serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents, and other events. The cutters will also support Arctic objectives by helping regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.
