Sept. 10, 2025 —
The Coast Guard exercised a contract option with Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama, Sept. 4 to acquire long lead-time material (LLTM) to support future production of three offshore patrol cutters (OPCs). The order also includes logistics supplies and support for two OPCs. The value of the option is $314 million.
In June 2022, the Coast Guard awarded a fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract to Austal USA to build the future Coast Guard Cutter Pickering, which includes options to produce up to 10 additional OPCs, for 11 cutters in total. The award was part of a revised OPC acquisition strategy to mitigate cost and schedule risks to deliver OPCs as quickly as possible.
On July 31, 2025, the Coast Guard exercised an option with Austal USA to begin construction of a second OPC and acquire LLTM to support future construction of a third OPC. This action brings the current activity under the Stage 2 contract with Austal to two OPCs in production and LLTM ordered for four additional cutters.
A keel authentication ceremony for Pickering will be held later this year.
OPCs will conduct missions including law enforcement, drug and alien interdiction, search and rescue, and other homeland security and defense operations. Each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups, serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events.
For more information: Offshore Patrol Cutter Program page