U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Ship Closer to Reality

Rosslyn, VA – Jan. 26, 2006 – The final unit of the first Deepwater National Security Cutter (NSC), USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750), was lifted onto the keel yesterday marking a significant construction milestone for the flag ship of the newest class of Coast Guard cutters. The first of eight NSCs being built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems under contract to Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS) has all assemblies on keel and is one step closer to reality.

“We’ve battled a few storms, but the diligent work ethic and production efficiencies implemented by our shipbuilding team have enabled us to maintain a great momentum,” said Jamie Anton, ICGS executive vice president.

Installation of unit 1120 completes the bow section of BERTHOLF, which is now 49 percent complete overall. Production is proceeding on schedule to be delivered to the Coast Guard in the summer of 2007 and is demonstrating quality comparable to that of a fifth-in-class ship.

“Completing this milestone so quickly in the wake of the most significant natural disaster in our nation’s history is a direct reflection on the dedication and professionalism of the workforce and management,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. William S. Krewsky, on-site program representative at the Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard.

BERTHOLF will be the first Coast Guard cutter featuring the full Deepwater command & control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capability providing commonality and interoperability among all Deepwater assets. The C4ISR equipment and systems, designed and produced by Lockheed Martin, recently completed a full testing program at the Maritime Domain Awareness Center in Moorestown, N.J., and is due to be installed onboard the BERTHOLF this summer.

The NSC is a 418-foot ship with a 4,300-ton displacement at full load. Powered by a twin-screw combined diesel-and-gas turbine-power propulsion plant, the NSC is designed to travel at 28 knots max speed. The cutter will include an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid-hull inflatable boats, a flight deck to accommodate a range of rotary-wing manned and unmanned aircraft and state-of-the-art command & control electronics.