U.S. Coast Guard Base Ketchikan, Alaska welcomed fast response cutter John McCormick (WPC-1121) and its crew who arrived on Friday following a 6,200-mile trip from Key West, Florida.
The John McCormick is the first fast response cutter to be homeported on the West Coast and will provide increased capabilities compared to the smaller 110-foot patrol boats it is replacing.
The FRC is scheduled to be commissioned April 12, 2017.
“We are pleased to welcome the crew of the new fast response cutter John McCormick to the Ketchikan community,” said Capt. Shannan Greene , commander of Coast Guard Sector Juneau. “The new cutter and its crew will provide greater service and enhanced capabilities for the southeast Alaska area and its maritime communities.”
The Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class cutters are built by Bollinger Shipyards under a design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. They have a flank speed of 28 knots, and a stern launch system for a 26-foot cutter boat.
The Coast Guard is acquiring 58 FRCs to replace the 110-foot Island-class patrol boats. The FRCs are designed for missions including drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; search and rescue; and national defense.
Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished him or herself in the line of duty.