According to a press release published by Huntington Ingalls Industries on May 12, 2021, Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced the start of the fabrication of Legend-class national security cutter Friedman (NSC 11). The start of fabrication signifies the first 100 tons of steel have been cut.
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The Coast Guard Legend-class cutter Kimball WMSL 756 (Picture source: U.S. Coast Guard)
NSC 11 is named to honor Elizebeth Smith Friedman. Friedman was a code breaker during the Prohibition Era who, as a civilian, intercepted and solved coded messages from racketeers and gangs and delivered them to the Coast Guard. During World War II, she worked against German espionage communications and developed information that was critical to counterintelligence work in the Southern Hemisphere. Friedman’s work resulted in hundreds of criminal prosecutions, saved thousands of lives and laid the groundwork for the science of cryptology and the establishment of the modern-day National Security Agency.
The Legend-class NSC is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard’s fleet, which enables it to meet the high demands required for maritime and homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.
Legend-class cutters have increased data link bandwidth. The Hensoldt (formerly EADS North America) TRS-3D radar system provides three-dimensional air and surface search functions and is used in the LCS program as well as the German Korvette 130 program. The cutters are also equipped with the AN/SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Warfare (EW) system used in the DDG-51 class. The cutters AN/SLQ-32B(V)2 system is to be upgraded under the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).
The Legend-class is equipped with the same 220 rpm Bofors 57 mm gun as mounted on the USN's Littoral combat ships. Guided 57 mm ammunition is being developed for the Mk 110 for the Navy and Coast Guard, including for use on the National Security cutters. The Missile Defense duties are handled by the MK 53 NULKA decoy systems, the MK 36 SRBOC countermeasure systems also used on the FFG-7 and CG-47 programs and the Phalanx CIWS.
