CG cutter design for Navy FFG(X)?

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft weighed directly into the discussion of the best design for the Navy’s future frigate - FFG(X). At a U.S. Naval Institute event this past week, Zukunft recounted his often-told “sea story” of the CG cutter Hamilton’s 2016 maiden deployment; and how it had more than paid for itself by making 13 drug interdictions and confiscating of about $1 billion worth of cocaine. On the same deployment, Hamilton conducted medical evacuations from Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. “This is a ship that will be in service 30, 40 years from now,” Zukunft said. “So, I would say that’s a pretty good return on investment.” Huntington Ingalls Industries of Pascagoula, Miss., is in the process of building a ninth GC National Security Cutter. After the commissioning of the Navy’s first Littoral Combat Ship in 2008, the ships have continued to face criticism over survivability and design. In 2016, the Navy ordered major changes to engineer training and its deployment strategy after four of the then-six ships in service suffered significant engineering failures. The Navy had been set to base its future frigate on an LCS design (Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., or Marinette [Wis.] Marine), but in July put out a request to industry for frigate designs. No formal conversations have taken place between the CG and Navy about the design. The Navy is looking to award a contract for design and construction in fiscal 2020. NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, endurance of 60 days, and a crew of 120. (Source: DOD Buzz 08/03/17) Gulf Coast Note: Munro (WMSL 755) was commissioned in April 2017. Construction is also underway at HII-Pascagoula on the seventh and eighth NSCs, Kimball (WMSL 756) and Midgett (WMSL 757). Kimball is scheduled to start Builder’s Trials in the last quarter of 2017. Midgett is scheduled to launch during the same quarter. In the last quarter of 2016, Ingalls received a $486 million contract to build a ninth NSC.