Jim French News

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that the company's fifth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), James (WMSL 754), has completed her acceptance trials. The Ingalls-built NSC spent two full days in the Gulf of Mexico proving the ship's systems. "Once again our shipbuilding team proved their mettle as the ship performed well," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager. "The National Security Cutter program continues to prove the benefits of serial production, and we incorporate our learning from ship to ship.

The Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) was awarded a $499.8 million fixed-price incentive contract from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to build an eighth National Security Cutter (NSC), Midgett (WMSL 757). Ingalls has already delivered four NSCs to the USCG and currently has three more under construction: James (WMSL 754), Munro (WMSL 755) and Kimball (WMSL 756), scheduled for delivery 2015, 2016 and 2018, respectively. Midgett is expected to be deliver in 2019.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has officially started fabrication on the U.S. Coast Guard's seventh National Security Cutter (NSC), Kimball (WMSL 756). "We continue to increase our learning on this shipbuilding program, fully capturing the affordable benefits of serial production," said Ingalls' NSC program manager, Jim French. "While the official start fab requires 100 tons of steel to be cut for this ship, our shipbuilders have actually cut more than 474 tons so far on NSC 7.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today the successful completion of builder’s sea trials for the company’s fourth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter, Hamilton (WMSL 753). The ship, built by HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, spent three full days at sea testing all of the ship’s systems. “It’s a team effort to bring one of these magnificent ships to life, and the NSC team has performed superbly—from the first cut of steel to the completion of a very successful builder’s trials,” said Jim French, Ingalls’ NSC program manager. “The NSC team continues to improve performance from ship to ship. While underway, Ingalls’ test and trials team conducted extensive testing of the propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor handling, small boat operations and combat systems.

Ingalls Shipbuilding division says it has received an $76.5 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for the eighth National Security Cutter, Midgett (WMSL 757). Construction and delivery of Midgett would take place at the company's Pascagoula facility. The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major items for Midgett, including steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings. "The long-lead material contracts give our shipbuilders the ability to immediately start construction of the ship if and when that contract is awarded," said Jim French, Ingalls' National Security Cutter program manager.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division launched the U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter James (WMSL 754) on Saturday. James is the company's fifth NSC and is expected to deliver in 2015. "Our learning curve continues to improve in this program, and the hot production line certainly provides a foundation for this progress to continue," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager. "We are able to provide an affordable ship for our customer while providing a capable ship to the Coast Guard fleet.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) informs that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $497 million fixed-price, incentive-fee contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to build a seventh Legend-class National Security Cutter (WMSL 756). "We have a hot production line with this class of ships, and we continue to get better—a tangible result demonstrating the value of serial production," said Ingalls NSC Program Manager Jim French. "Each ship is built more effectively and more affordably than the one before it…

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division has started fabrication on the U.S. Coast Guard's sixth National Security Cutter (NSC), 'Munro'. Designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, the NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110. "Our shipbuilders have a great jump start on the construction of this ship as we have already cut and processed more than 400 tons of steel for NSC 6…

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division launched the company's fourth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), Hamilton (WMSL 753), on Saturday. "Launching a ship involves quite a bit of logistics, and our team pulled this off in a very safe and efficient manner," said Ingalls' NSC Program Manager Jim French. "It's a weeklong process to first translate the ship across land into our floating drydock and then going through an extensive ship-wide check-out process to launch.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a $76.8 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for Kimball (WMSL 756), the company's seventh National Security Cutter (NSC). Construction and delivery will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility. "This advance procurement contract allows us to maintain production line and supplier base momentum while we prepare for the ship construction contract," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager.

The North Lincolnshire Health & Safety Group has presented PD Logistics, part of the PD Ports Group, with its annual Health and Safety award, recognizing the Company’s commitment to the highest levels of health and safety. The main award was presented to Jim French, director & general manager for PD Logistics, in recognition of the company’s continued commitment to improving competence levels and the raising of its health & safety standards. At the awards dinner, all companies which achieved lower than their industry standard for reportable accidents in 2008 were also awarded certificates. PD Logistics’ program of education and training…

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Walt Probst, the test officer for PMRO Gulf Coast, pushes the button to start the LM2500 gas turbine engine aboard Bertholf (WMSL 750). Observing the moment when the first of the ship's three engines comes to life are (left to right) National Security Cutter program specialist Leo Tallent, test electrician Jeff Cwiok, test electrician Mike Asiala and Jim French, National Security Cutter deputy program manager. The Northrop Grumman-built U.S. Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750) reached a significant milestone Aug. 7 as the first of its three main engines was brought to life. Known as gas turbine engine light off, the procedure was an initial operational test of Bertholf's combined diesel and gas turbine propulsion system.