ESG conducts OPC design review

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) of Panama City, Fla., successfully conducted its Final Critical Design Review (FCDR) with the Coast Guard on June 29 for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program. The accomplishment comes after a week of discussions, demonstrations, and design presentations by ESG’s design team to the CG and Department of Homeland Security. The purpose of the FCDR is to verify that the OPC detail design is integrated and internally consistent with CG requirements, and points towards the exercise of the contract option for construction of the first hull - USCGC Argus. Construction of the lead cutter is tentatively scheduled to begin after the contract option is exercised, with delivery anticipated in 2021. The milestone was “achieved on time and our design was found to be ready for the next milestone, Production Readiness Review on July 31,” said ESG’s President Joey D’Isernia. The OPC is designed for multiple missions in support the bridge between the National Security Cutter, which patrols the open oceans and the Fast Response Cutter, which serves closer to shore. The CG exercised the Detail Design contract option to ESG. The group is finalizing its design to construct the OPC to replace the Medium Endurance Cutters. The contract includes options for production of up to nine OPCs and with a potential value of $2.38B. On September 7, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard exercised ESG’s contract option for Long Lead Time Material for USCGC Argus. The CG plans to acquire a total of 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters. (Source: Navy Recognition 07/06/18)