Bollinger Shipyards LLC has delivered the fast response cutter Douglas Denman to the Coast Guard in Key West, Fla equipped with the Rhotheta RT-500-M wideband V-UHF radio direction finder,
This is the 175th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 49th FRC delivered under the current program.
FRCs are being deployed in support of the full range of missions within the Coast Guard and other branches of our armed services. This is due to its performance, expanded operational reach and capabilities, and ability to transform and adapt to the mission. FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands — a 4,400-nautical-mile trip from their homeport. Measuring 154’x25’, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) suite, and stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26′ over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat.
For the FRC, which has a draft of 9’6″, Bollinger is using a proven, in-service parent craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. Main propulsion comes from twin MTU 20V4000 M93L diesel engines, producing 2,900 hp each.
“Pound for pound, the quality and capabilities of the FRC platform is unmatched and can be looked upon as a model government acquisition program,” Bollinger President and CEO Ben Bordelon said in a statement announcing the delivery. “We look forward to continuing to support the U.S. Coast Guard for decades to come.”
The Denman will travel to Alaska where it will be commissioned on Sept. 28 at its new homeport of Ketchikan, in the 17th District of the Coast Guard. Once there, it will serve and safeguard the public, protect the environment and its resources, and defend U.S. interests in the Alaskan maritime region. The 17th District encompasses over 3.85 million sq. miles and over 47,300 miles of shoreline throughout Alaska and the Arctic.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022, which included a $130 million increase for two additional FRCs, continuing the program beyond its 64-vessel program of record. This is the second time Congress has added FRCs beyond the original 58-vessel program of record.
FRC-49 has being outfitted with the Rhotheta RT-500-M wideband radio direction finder system, an essential tool for search-and-rescue, safety, and enhanced situational awareness, featuring advanced ECDIS, GPS, Compass, IP and serial connectivity and a proven performance record. The RT-500-M is a multi-band Doppler direction finder that operates on V-UHF bands including all international emergency frequencies within the 118 to 470 MHz range.