US Coast Guard Selects Builder for Over the Horizon Cutter Boats

The U.S. Coast Guard announced it has selected Inventech Marine Solutions of Bremerton, Wash., to build the next generation of over the horizon (OTH V) cutter boats. The first delivery order for four OTH Vs was placed August 3 with a value of $1.973 million. These four OTH Vs will be used for operational test and evaluation before the program moves to full production. The 10-year contract supports delivery of up to 200 boats with a total value of approximately $103 million.

Beyond the similarities of speed and weight between the OTH V and the OTH IV it is replacing, the OTH V will include improved waterjet control technology, the second generation Scalable Integrated Navigation System, new generation communications equipment and the Coast Guard’s first boat shock monitoring system, which will provide the crew with real-time information on wave impact severity. The OTH V is powered by a marine diesel engine and waterjet, with a top speed of approximately 40 knots and a range in excess of 170 nautical miles. The dimensions are limited to 26 feet long by 8.5 feet wide, with a maximum performance weight of 8,700 pounds, to ensure compatibility with the various Coast Guard cutters it will support.  

The Coast Guard awarded four OTH V indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts in June 2021, purchasing one boat from each contractor. Following delivery of the boats, the Coast Guard detailed five test crews to Norfolk, Va., to operate the boats for nearly four months in side-by-side simulated operational events to help identify the best value contract for follow-on production. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Detachment Norfolk documented particulars of the performance and provided test facilities and support.

The Coast Guard will deploy the OTH V across the its cutter fleet to national security cutters, fast response cutters, offshore patrol cutters, legacy medium endurance cutters, future polar security cutters and in-service polar icebreakers.

OTH V cutter boats will support almost all mission areas, with emphasis on search and rescue; drug and migrant interdiction; living marine resources; defense readiness; and ports, waterways and coastal security.