New U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) Completes Builder's Trials

Someoneforyou

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Ingalls-Built U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) Completes Successful Builder's Trials
UNITED STATES - 1 JULY 2011

Stratton is the third of eight planned ships in this new class of highly capable, technologically advanced multi-mission cutters.

PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- Huntington Ingalls Industries announced today that Stratton (WMSL 752), the company's third U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), successfully completed builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The company's latest NSC, built at Ingalls Shipbuilding, spent three full days at sea effectively testing all of the ship's systems.

"Our sea trial team put Stratton through a rigorous test regime this week, and the ship performed very well," said Mike Duthu, NSC program manager for Ingalls Shipbuilding. "Builder's trials is a critical step in our preparations for customer acceptance trials, and we're very satisfied we'll be ready. Congratulations to our shipbuilders, the Coast Guard and our industry partners on a very successful underway period. This ship is truly a testament to their hard work and the dedication of our entire team."

NSCs are the flagships of the Coast Guard fleet, designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class High-Endurance Cutters, which entered service during the 1960s.

While underway, Ingalls' test and trials team conducted extensive testing of the propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor handling, small boat and combat systems. This culminated in the successful completion of a four-hour, full-power propulsion run.

First Lady Michelle Obama is the ship's sponsor for Stratton. She christened the ship at Ingalls Shipbuilding on July 23, 2010.

Stratton is the third of eight planned ships in this new class of highly capable, technologically advanced multi-mission cutters. Bertholf and Waesche have been commissioned and are successfully executing Coast Guard missions. The construction contract for a fourth cutter, Hamilton, was awarded in November 2010. Ingalls Shipbuilding builds the NSC hull, mechanical and electrical systems, while Lockheed Martin builds and integrates the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities onboard the cutters.

Over the three-day trial period, all of the C4ISR systems were tested, including the surface and air tracking radars as well as the communications and navigational systems.

NSCs are 418 feet long, with a 54-foot beam, displacing 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110.

The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs. The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft. It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. This class of cutters plays an important role enhancing the Coast Guard's operational readiness, capacity and effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never been greater.


Photo: The U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) sails through the Gulf of Mexico during builder's sea trials.



Source: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
 

Someoneforyou

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U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC):

The National Security Cutter (NSC) is the flagship of the fleet, capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs. It is the largest and most technically advanced class of cutter in the Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement and national defense missions.

Any Mission, Anytime, Anywhere:

At 418 feet, the lead ship in the new Legend-class of national security cutters is designed to be the flagship of the U.S. Coast Guard's fleet, capable of executing the most challenging maritime security missions including supporting the mission requirements of the joint U.S. combatant commanders.


Capability:

Compared to legacy cutters, the NSC's design will provide better sea keeping and higher sustained transit speeds, greater endurance and range, and the ability for launch and recovery, in higher sea states of improved small boats, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles – all key attributes in enabling the Coast Guard to implement increased security responsibilities. Such duties include exerting more effective jurisdiction over foreign-flagged ships transiting U.S. waters. The National Security Cutter, for example, will enable the Coast Guard to screen and target vessels faster, more safely and reliably before they arrive in U.S. waters – to include conducting onboard verification through boardings and, if necessary, taking enforcement-control actions.The NSC will serve as an integral part of the Coast Guard's collaborative inter-agency effort to achieve maritime domain awareness and ensure the safety of the American public and sovereignty of U.S. maritime borders.


Features:

"¢Increased range and endurance
"¢Automated weapons system capable of stopping rogue merchant vessels far from shore
"¢Larger flight deck
"¢State-of-the-art communication equipment to enhance Coast Guard interoperability
"¢Detection and defense capabilities against chemical, biological, or radiological attack
"¢Advanced sensors contribute intelligence to a common operating picture and provide enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness

Characteristics:

Number Planned: 8

Prime Contractor: Integrated Coast Guard Systems

Length: 418 ft.

Beam: 54 ft.

Draft: 22.5 ft.

Full Load Displacement: 4500 lt

Total Enclosed Deck Area: 54,139sq. ft.

Fuel: 659 lt

Propulsion Plant: Combined diesel and gas turbine; with two 9,655hp diesel engines and one 30,565bhp gas turbine

Max Sustained Speed: 28 kts

Range: 12,000 nautical miles

Endurance: 60 to 90 days

Crew: 148

Armament: One MK110 57mm gun; one 20mm Close In Weapon System; one Mk53 NULKA active expendable decoy system

Sensors: X&S band surface search radar; EADS 3D air search radar; SPQ-9B fire control radar; Mk46 electro-optical/infrared sensor; SLQ-32 electronic warfare system

Communications: HF, VHF & UHF; radio direction finder

Stern Launch: Two cutter boats

Aviation Facilities: One MH-65C or MH-60T and two vertical launch unmanned aerial vehicles, or other combinations


SAN DIEGO – History was made when two of the Coast Guard's Legend Class cutters; Bertholf and Waesche were documented during their transit together on the waters off the coast of Southern California, Friday, Feb. 26, 2010. Crewmembers from each of the cutters gathered on the flight deck in formation of the cutters' perspective hull numbers.
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File Photo: U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750):
 
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