Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has delivered National Security Cutter (NSC) USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Documents signed Monday mark the official transfer of custody of the ship from HII to the Coast Guard. Stone is scheduled to sail away from the shipyard at the end of this year to its homeport in Charleston, South Carolina.

«We could not be prouder to deliver our ninth national security cutter to the Coast Guard», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. «Ending the year with this significant achievement is a true testament to the perseverance of our shipbuilders. Stone is a powerful ship that will have great opportunities to demonstrate the value of its multi-mission capabilities for many years to come».

NSC-9 is named to honor Coast Guard Commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone, Coast Guard aviator number one, who made history in 1919 for being one of two Coast Guard pilots in the four man air crew who completed the first trans-Atlantic flight in a Navy seaplane.

The Legend-class NSC is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs are 418 feet/127 m long with a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

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Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced on October 02, 2020 the successful completion of acceptance sea trials for the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest national security cutter, USCGC Stone (WMSL-758). During seal trials, the ship spent two days in the Gulf of Mexico proving its systems.

«I am very proud of the Ingalls team that conducted another outstanding acceptance trial on our ninth national security cutter Stone. This ship, like all of the national security cutters we have delivered, will be capable of undertaking the most challenging Coast Guard missions with great capability and endurance», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. «We are proud of our shipbuilders and the state-of-the-art design and construction of Stone, and we look forward to the ship’s upcoming delivery».

Ingalls has delivered eight Legend-class NSCs with two more under construction and one additional under contract. Stone is scheduled to deliver later this year and will be homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.

NSC-9 was named to honor Coast Guard officer Commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone, Coast Guard aviator number one, who made history in 1919 for being one of two Coast Guard pilots in the four-man air crew who completed the first transatlantic flight in a Navy seaplane.

The Legend-class NSC is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs are 418 feet/127 m long with a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

Facts

Ship list

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced on September 14, 2020 the successful completion of builder’s sea trials for the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest National Security Cutter (NSC), USCGC Stone (WMSL-758). The ship spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico testing propulsion and auxiliary equipment, as well as various shipboard systems.

«Every successful sea trial is a major accomplishment for our shipbuilders, but this set proved to be a particularly substantial undertaking», said Jay Boyd, Ingalls’ NSC program manager. «Since the year began, our team has persevered through every challenge. Learning through each obstacle presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NSC team has worked tirelessly to ensure the Coast Guard receives another high performance cutter to help protect our nation».

In the weeks preceding NSC-9 builder’s trials, safety precautions were put in place to minimize the potential risk of COVID-19 to participants while at sea. The number of shipboard riders was reduced by one-third to allow for adequate social distancing. Those allowed onboard were tested for COVID-19 one week prior to sail, and were screened the morning of departure. Masks were required at all times, food services were staggered, and in addition to the cutter’s regular cleaning regimen, each individual received their own personal supplies to clean their way in and out of spaces onboard the ship.

Ingalls has delivered eight Legend-class NSCs with two more under construction, and one additional under contract. USCGC Stone (WMSL-758), the ninth NSC, is scheduled for delivery later this year.

NSC-9 was named to honor Coast Guard officer Commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone, Coast Guard aviator number one, who made history in 1919 for being one of two Coast Guard pilots in the four man air crew who completed the first transatlantic flight in a Navy seaplane.

The Legend-class NSC is the largest, most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs are 418 feet/127 meters long with a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division supports national security missions around the globe with unmanned systems, defense and federal solutions, and nuclear and environmental services. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 42,000 people operating both domestically and internationally.

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USCG national security cutter Stone on builder’s sea trials

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division christened National Security Cutter (NSC) USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) on February 29, 2020. The USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) is the ninth Legend-class NSC to be built at Ingalls.

The ship honors Coast Guard officer Commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone, who made history in 1919 for being one of the two Coast Guard pilots to successfully make the first transatlantic flight in a Navy seaplane. Stone’s great niece, Laura Cavallo, officially christened the ship.

«Today we celebrate the time and talents our shipbuilders have invested in this incredible ship», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. «The success of the National Security Cutter program is a direct reflection of our strong partnership with the Coast Guard and the dedication and capability of a team of Ingalls shipbuilders that continues to successfully deliver some of the most challenging manufacturing projects in the world».

Event speakers on behalf of the Coast Guard include Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz and Vice Commandant Admiral Charles Ray.

«Over the last four years, we as a Coast Guard have interdicted 2 million pounds of illicit drugs», Schultz said. «These modern cutters allow our nation to advance all of our national interests, and the success wouldn’t be possible without the partnership that we find right here in Pascagoula with HII».

«I visited Stone before she was in the water last year, and I talked to some of the shipbuilders», Ray said. «You could tell that they weren’t just building a ship, they were building a Coast Guard cutter. They were building a ship that was going to do the deeds our nation needed them to do».

Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Steven Palazzo joined Ingalls to celebrate the ship christening.

«We are here with a company, Ingalls Shipbuilding, that believes in its more than 11,000 workers, invests in state-of-the-art safety methods and has a corporate philosophy that relies on its own workers to develop better productivity techniques», Wicker said. «When we see the capabilities of our Coast Guard today, we are amazed and truly impressed that we stand on the shoulders of Elmer Stone. We are gleaming and beaming today and we are glad to honor the memory of this great American».

«National Security Cutters like Stone behind me have been game changers in the Coast Guard in their fight against criminal organizations responsible for the smuggling of hard narcotics into America. Personally, I think Senator Wicker would agree with me that we need more National Security Cutters, not less», Palazzo said.

The Legend-class NSC is the largest, most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs are 418 feet/127 m long with a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.

Facts

Ship list