USCG commissions 19th FRC
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has commissioned its 19th fast response cutter (FRC), USCGC Rollin Fritch, it announced on 21 November.
The 154ft FRC is designed to patrol close to shore, executing missions such as fishery patrols, drug and migrant interdiction, national defence and ports, waterways and coastal security.
The FRCs, which are replacing the Island-class 110ft patrol boats, feature advanced C4ISR equipment; improved habitability and seakeeping; and over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment capabilities to reach vessels of interest.
Rollin Fritch is the first FRC based in the USCG Fifth District, which includes inland and coastal waters from North Carolina’s southern border to parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The second FRC to be based in Cape May, the upcoming USCGC Lawrence Lawson, is scheduled to be commissioned in 2017.
The US has ordered 38 out of 58 possible FRCs. Currently 19 cutters are in service.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-Class destroyer]()
Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-Class destroyer
Scheduled for delivery by 2033, HMCS Fraser will be a major surface component of the Canadian maritime combat power.
-
![Ireland orders Thales towed array sonar]()
Ireland orders Thales towed array sonar
Ireland has a large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which extends 370km (200nm) offshore and contains 75% of the transatlantic subsea cables which carry $10 trillion in financial transactions daily. The country is investing to increase protection and surveillance of these waters.
-
![South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs]()
South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs
HHI and Hanwha Ocean outline highly autonomous and unmanned-enabled designs as the ROKN explores force structure for the 2030s and beyond.
-
![South Korean shipbuilders showcase export ambitions amid ongoing KDDX delays]()
South Korean shipbuilders showcase export ambitions amid ongoing KDDX delays
Hyundai and Hanwha recently unveiled advanced frigate and submarine designs while South Korea eyes new export markets and resolves internal rivalries
