Coast Guard’s new cutter program at risk of ‘costly rework’, ‘schedule delays’: GAO
Earlier this year, the Coast Guard halted construction on two of the four Offshore Patrol Cutters that Eastern Shipbuilding was under contract to deliver.
Earlier this year, the Coast Guard halted construction on two of the four Offshore Patrol Cutters that Eastern Shipbuilding was under contract to deliver.
"All I want is ships as fast as I can get them,” said Rear Adm. Chad Jacoby when asked about maintaining two shipbuilders for the Offshore Patrol Cutter program.
The watchdog found the program's cost has increased 40 percent over the past 10 years, and accumulated a year-and-a-half delay on the first four vessels.
Eastern Shipbuilding is escalating its efforts to overturn a $3.3 billion shipbuilding contract awarded by the Coast Guard earlier this year.
The accusations stem from a 2016 joint venture with a Chinese shipbuilder that was effectively ended last year.
So far, ESG is the only known bidder to file a bid protest against the Coast Guard's decision to award Austal a contract worth potentially $3.33 billion.
Breaking Defense Europe will launch May 4 with Tim Martin and Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo as co-editors.
The Offshore Patrol Cutter is one of the Coast Guard's top acquisition priorities, on par with its heavy icebreakers.