US Coast Guard receives eighth national security cutter

The US Coast Guard received national security cutter (NSC) Midgett (WMSL 757) from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division in a hand over ceremony on May 1.

Midgett is is the eighth ship in its class and is scheduled to sail away in June and enter service later this year.

Ingalls has now delivered eight Legend-class NSCs and has one more under construction and two more under contract.

Stone (WMSL 758) is scheduled for delivery in 2020. In December of 2018, Ingalls received two fixed-price incentive contracts with a combined value of $931 million to build NSCs 10 and 11.

“From a homeland security and defense perspective, this ship provides unmatched command and control,” said Cmdr. Brian Smicklas, Midgett’s executive officer and acting commanding officer. “We’ve reached a number of accomplishments and milestones up to this point; however, there’s more work to do on the water.”

“We have record drug flows in the eastern Pacific, and there are traditional Western Hemisphere missions that our Coast Guard brothers and sisters are conducting on the water every day. We also see a large increase in demand for the geographic combatant commanders for this specific National Security Cutter capability, and we’re excited to fill that and be a part of the national fleet.”

NSC 8 is named to honor the hundreds of members of the Midgett family who have served in the US Coast Guard and its predecessor services. At least 10 members of the Midgett family earned high honors from the US Coast Guard for their heroic lifesaving deeds. Seven Midgett family members were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the US Coast Guard’s highest award for saving a life, and three were awarded the Silver Lifesaving Medal.

NSCs are 418 feet (127 m) 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 120.