Fast Response Cutter Faces Procurement Pause.

Despite receiving no new procurement funding in the fiscal year 2021 budget request, the Coast Guard commandant said the Sentinel-class fast response cutter program is on track.

"Fast response cutters are on schedule and on budget," said Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz.

"We took acceptance of the 37th cutter on the domestic program of record of 58 hulls," he said during remarks at the Navy's League's Sea-Air-Space conference, which was held virtually because of safety concerns surrounding COVID-19.

President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2021 budget request does not contain new procurement money for the program and instead limits FRC funding to post-delivery, technical support and government-furnished equipment.

Schultz said the service needed to free up dollars for other priorities such as polar security cutters, offshore patrol cutters and aviation. But he hopes procurement funding for fast response cutters will be added back in during the budget process.

"We've got a little flexibility with the last couple [fast response cutters]. I think that allowed us to sort of array it that way," he said in an interview with National Defense. "I don't think we're done with our budget asks for FRCs yet...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT