The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ (NYSE: HII) shipbuilding arm a $76.5 million contract to buy equipment for the USCG’s eighth National Security Cutter ship.Ingalls Shipbuilding will use the money to purchase steel, propulsion systems, electrical switchboards, major castings and generators, among other materials, HII said Monday.
Construction of the NSC Midgett will occur at the company’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
“The advance procurement helps us get the best cost possible for equipment and materials and keeps the industrial base production line flowing, ” said Jim French, Ingalls’ NSC program manager.
“Our learning curve continues to improve with each ship we build, and the advance procurement helps continue that curve, ” French added.
National security cutters are built with an aft launch, recovery space to accommodate two rigid inflatable boats and a flight deck designed for manned and unmanned aircraft.
USCG uses the legend-class NSCs for maritime security, law enforcement, environmental protection and national defense operations, according to HII.
