COAST GUARD
ANNOUNCES CONTRACT TO BEGIN BUILDING 2ND MARITIME SECURITY CUTTER LARGE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S.
Coast Guard awarded a contract totaling $144 million to Integrated Coast Guard Systems for
production and deployment of the Coast Guard’s second Maritime Security Cutter Large.
The WMSL is the largest of three new cutter classes -- and the first under
construction -- within the Coast Guard’s Integrated Deepwater System
acquisition program.
The Deepwater program will improve the Coast Guard’s counter terrorism,
maritime homeland security and overall mission performance capabilities. “The
Deepwater program is vital to transforming the Coast Guard and ensuring the delivery of
required capabilities needed for the performance of homeland security and other missions,”
said Adm. Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard. “The system of
systems approach is the most prudent, cost effective and efficient manner to transform the
Coast Guard.”
The WMSL characteristics include: a length of 425 feet, a draft of 21 feet, a speed of 29
knots, stern launch ramp, 57mm and .50 calibers guns and dual helicopter hanger capability
for both a multi-mission helicopter and unmanned air vehicles.
Fabrication of the first WMSL began in September 2004, with the ship
delivery scheduled in 2007. The anticipated delivery schedule for the second WMSL is
late 2008.
The Deepwater system's integrator, ICGS, is an equal partnership between
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. ICGS will subsequently
issue subcontracts for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems to lead the WMSL
production efforts in Pascagoula, Miss., while Lockheed will assume primary
responsibility for integrating the ship into the system-wide command, control,
communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture,
also known as C4ISR.
About the Integrated Deepwater System
The Deepwater program is the largest recapitalization effort in the
214-year history of the Coast Guard. The IDS is a vital multi-year program to
modernize and replace aging ships and aircraft that will be linked with state-of-the-art
C4ISR systems supported by an integrated logistics regime. This mix of ships,
airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles ensures full interoperability while
meeting the full range of Coast Guard missions, including homeland security. This
multi-year, multi-billion dollar contract was awarded in June 2002 to ICGS, an equal
partnership between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
About Integrated Coast Guard Systems
ICGS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. ICGS was awarded the
Deepwater contract in June 2002. Headquartered in Rosslyn, Va., core leadership teams are
co-located in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and the District of Columbia
