The US Coast Guard has awarded Bollinger Shipyards a $507-million contract option to build 10 additional Sentinel-Class fast response cutters (FRCs).
This raises the program’s total cutters from 67 to 77 and extends production by roughly three years.
The first cutter under this agreement is scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The contract is funded through the $25-billion One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes $1 billion for additional FRCs to support fleet modernization and global operations.
The FRC program has generated more than $2 billion in material spending to date, supporting over 650 jobs in Louisiana and 1,690 more nationwide. Each cutter is built from more than 271,000 parts and 282 million components, highlighting the program’s wide industrial footprint.
“With this award, the Coast Guard is doubling down on a proven platform and a proven team,” said Bollinger Shipyards CEO and President Ben Bordelon commented on the new contract.
“Our workforce has delivered nearly 200 cutters, including 60 FRCs, in our more than 40-year partnership with the Coast Guard. That performance is no accident. It reflects the dedication, precision and pride of the men and women of Bollinger, and our shared commitment to the Coast Guard’s mission.”
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Mike Campbell, the US Coast Guard’s director of systems integration and chief acquisition officer, called the deal “a historic accomplishment for the service,” noting that FRCs have “consistently proven their capabilities, adaptability and effectiveness in a wide range of maritime environments and Coast Guard missions.”
The Sentinel FRC
Introduced in 2012 to replace aging Island-class patrol boats, the Sentinel-class FRC carries out missions including law enforcement, search and rescue, fisheries protection, and national defense.
The vessel complements the US Coast Guard’s national security, offshore patrol, and polar cutters under the Force Design 2028 initiative, a modernization plan to expand personnel, upgrade assets, and streamline operations across the service.
A Sentinel boat measures 47 meters (154 feet) and can carry more than 20 crew members along with a small support boat.
It is armed with a 25-millimeter weapon system and multiple crew-served machine guns, supported by sensors for surface and aerial search, navigation, and friend-or-foe identification.
Powered by two 5,800-horsepower MTU engines and a 1,010-horsepower bow thruster, the cutter can reach speeds above 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour).
