The U.S. Coast Guard is doubling down on its commitment to Rhode Island, with Senator Jack Reed announcing that four new 360-foot Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) will be homeported at Naval Station Newport. This expansion, up from the two vessels initially planned in 2020, represents a significant boost to the state’s maritime capabilities and economy.
Reed, a senior member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Appropriations Committee, worked directly with Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, to secure the additional vessels for the Ocean State.
“I am proud to have helped land these ships for Rhode Island,” Reed said. “It’s a smart decision that makes strategic and economic sense for the Coast Guard and represents a significant investment in the Ocean State’s Blue Economy. There is a lot of work ahead, but I look forward to welcoming these vessels and their crews, support personnel, and their families to their new homeport.”
The Heritage-class vessels, each weighing approximately 4,500 long tons when fully loaded, will have capacity for over 100 crewmembers. These new cutters will replace the two 270-foot medium endurance cutters currently stationed at NAVSTA Newport and complement the three Coast Guard buoy tenders already based there.
Reed has been instrumental in expanding the Coast Guard’s presence in Rhode Island, citing the state’s strategic location, proximity to other uniformed services, and excellent quality of life for crews and their families. He secured over $100 million to begin work on a new OPC pier at Naval Station Newport.
The senator also successfully advocated for the homeporting of two 270-foot Coast Guard medium endurance cutters, USCGC TAHOMA and USCGC CAMPBELL, which arrived in Rhode Island in 2022 from their previous base at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire.
“The Coast Guard plays a vital role in safeguarding our nation and these cutters are indispensable assets for enhancing maritime security and protecting America’s economic interests on the high seas,” Reed stated. “Homeporting these versatile and highly capable vessels in Rhode Island is a win for both the country, the state, and the Coast Guard. Once operational, they will significantly strengthen the Coast Guard’s regional capabilities and bolster its mission readiness.”
The new OPCs are part of the Heritage-class of vessels that began construction in 2019. The Coast Guard plans to build 25 of these ships between two shipyards in Florida and Alabama.
These versatile ships are designed for a wide range of missions beyond 12 nautical miles from shore. Their capabilities include law enforcement, marine resource protection, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and homeland security and defense operations.
The OPCs can operate independently or as part of a task force, serving as mobile command and control platforms for large-scale emergencies such as hurricane response and mass migration events. They will also play a crucial role in supporting Arctic operations, enhancing the Coast Guard’s presence in the region.
Currently, Newport hosts five Coast Guard Cutters: OAK, SYCAMORE, IDA LEWIS, CAMPBELL, and TAHOMA, as well as Station Castle Hill. These assets perform various duties including aids-to-navigation, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, and ports and waterways security.
While the exact arrival date for the new OPCs in Newport is yet to be determined, it is expected to be several years before they join the fleet.
Reed’s efforts have also secured $11.8 billion for the Coast Guard in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations law. This funding aims to maintain readiness, resilience, and capability while building the Coast Guard of the future.
The addition of these four new cutters to Newport’s fleet underscores Rhode Island’s growing importance in the Coast Guard’s strategic planning. As these advanced vessels prepare to make their way to the Ocean State, they promise to bring not only enhanced maritime security but also economic benefits to the region.
More from Senator Reed’s office;
Twice as Nice: Reed Announces Another Two New U.S. Coast Guard Cutters to Homeport in RI
Reed’s SASC leadership helps double the number of new 360-foot Offshore Patrol Cutters and their crews coming to NAVSTA Newport from 2 to 4
NEWPORT, RI – No, Rhode Island is not pregnant. But the Ocean State will soon be giving ‘berth’ to two sets of 360-foot twin U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) that weigh in at about 4,500 long tons when fully loaded.
The Heritage-class vessels will each have room onboard for 100-plus crewmembers. The four sister ships will eventually replace the two 270-foot medium endurance cutters stationed at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport and will complement the three Coast Guard buoy tenders that have called Newport home for many years.
In 2020, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of both the Armed Services Committee and the Appropriations Committee, who has led efforts to grow Rhode Island’s Blue Economy, announced that two 360-foot OPCs would be homeported in Rhode Island. Today, after working directly with Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Senator Reed announced that Rhode Island will serve as the homeport for two more OPCs, upping the Ocean State’s total to four new Heritage-class ships.
“I am proud to have helped land these ships for Rhode Island. It’s a smart decision that makes strategic and economic sense for the Coast Guard and represents a significant investment in the Ocean State’s Blue Economy. There is a lot of work ahead, but I look forward to welcoming these vessels and their crews, support personnel, and their families to their new homeport,” said Senator Reed, a leading Congressional champion for helping the Coast Guard modernize its fleet and force.
Senator Reed has worked for years to successfully expand the Coast Guard’s footprint in Rhode Island, which offers strategic location, proximity to other uniformed services, and an excellent quality of life for crews, shoreside personnel, and their families. Reed secured over $100 million to begin work on a new OPC pier at Naval Station Newport. He also successfully advocated for the homeporting of two 270-foot Coast Guard medium endurance cutters from their previous homeport at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire. Those two ships, USCGC TAHOMA (WMEC-908) and USCGC CAMPBELL (WMEC 909), debuted in Rhode in 2022.
“The Coast Guard plays a vital role in safeguarding our nation and these cutters are indispensable assets for enhancing maritime security and protecting America’s economic interests on the high seas,” said Senator Reed. “Homeporting these versatile and highly capable vessels in Rhode Island is a win for both the country, the state, and the Coast Guard. Once operational, they will significantly strengthen the Coast Guard’s regional capabilities and bolster its mission readiness.”
Each of the new 360-foot ships are part of the Heritage-class of vessels that began construction in 2019. The Coast Guard intends to build 25 of these vessels between two shipyards in Florida and Alabama.
Each ship is designed to operate beyond 12 nautical miles from shore and execute a broad range of critical missions, including: law enforcement, marine resource protection, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and homeland security and defense operations. Every OPC is capable of operating independently or as part of a task force, serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration events, and other large-scale emergencies. The cutters will also play an integral role in supporting Arctic operations, enhancing the Coast Guard’s presence and capabilities in the region.
Currently, Newport is home to a total of five Coast Guard Cutters: USCGC OAK, USCGC SYCAMORE, USCGC IDA LEWIS, USCGC CAMPBELL, and USCGC TAHOMA, as well as Station Castle Hill. These multi-mission assets service aids-to-navigation, conduct search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, ports and waterways security, living marine resources, and defense and homeland security missions.
It will likely be several years before the new OPCs arrive in Newport.
Senator Reed helped deliver a total of $11.8 billion for the Coast Guard in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations law to generate sustained readiness, resilience, and capability while building the Coast Guard of the future.