Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC)

The U.S. Coast Guard OFFSHORE PATROL CUTTER (OPC) also known as Heritage-class cutter will replace the service’s 29 medium endurance cutters (270-foot and 210-foot). The OPC will be a critical Coast Guard asset in the support of the national security strategy for maintaining the nation’s economic, social, environmental and military security mission areas. The OPC will typically conduct its primary missions beyond 12 nautical miles from shore and will be employed anywhere the national interests require the Coast Guard’s unique blend of authorities and capabilities. 

The OPC is the most effective way to meet the service’s long-term need for cutters capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups to conduct law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security and defense missions. 

The OPC will provide the majority of the U.S. Coast Guard’s offshore presence conducting a variety of missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue in addition to responding to surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events. 

Austal USA will construct the OPC using its proven ship manufacturing processes and innovative production methods that incorporate lean manufacturing principles, modular construction and moving assembly lines in the company’s state-of-the-art enclosed steel production facility.

SPECIFICATIONS