US Coast Guard to receive the first three Offshore Patrol Cutters in FY2026 and FY2027
Christening ceremony of the first OPC, Argus, in 2023. (Photo: US Coast Guard)
After recording a nearly six-year delay in the OPC schedule, the USCG intends to advance with the programme, reaching multiple milestones in the short term.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is making progress with the construction of Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) after recording a more than five-year delay in the programme’s original schedule. The service plans to reach several milestones with the initiative in FY2026 and FY2027.
In the current fiscal year, the branch expects to receive the first two Heritage-class OPCs built by Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) in addition to awarding the construction contract for the seventh vessel.
Meanwhile, over the next year, the USCG expects the delivery of the fifth ship supplied by Austal USA, as well as to begin
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