USCGC Friedman

USCGC Friedman (WMSL-760)
Legend-class cutter
History
United States
NameFriedman
NamesakeElizebeth Smith Friedman
Awarded21 December 2018
BuilderHuntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Cost$499.76 million
IdentificationPennant number: WMSL-760
StatusCancelled June 5, 2025
General characteristics
Class & typeLegend-class cutter
Displacement4,500 long tons (4,600 t)
Length418 ft (127 m)
Beam54 ft (16 m)
Draft22.5 ft (6.9 m)
PropulsionCombined diesel and gas
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi)
Endurance60 to 90-day patrol cycles
Complement120
Sensors &
processing systems
  • AN/SPS-75 air search radar
  • SPQ-9B fire control radar
  • AN/SPS-79 surface search radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare system
  • 2 x Mk-36 SRBOC/ 2 x Mk-53 NULKA countermeasures chaff/rapid decoy launcher
Armament
ArmorBallistic protection for main gun
Aircraft carried2 x MH-65C Dolphin MCH, or 1 x MH-65C Dolphin MCH and 2 x sUAS

USCGC Friedman (WMSL-760) was to be the eleventh Legend-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard. On 5 June 2025 it was announced per agreement between Huntington Ingalls Industries and the Trump administration that she had been cancelled. She was to be the first ship to be named after Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the famous American cryptologist.

Development and design

All of Legend-class cutters were constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries and were part of the Integrated Deepwater System Program. They are of the high endurance cutter roles with additional upgrades to make it more of an asset to the Department of Defense during declared national emergency contingencies. The cutters are armed mainly to take on lightly armed hostiles in Low-Threat Environments.

Construction and career

Friedman and her sister ship Calhoun were ordered on 21 December 2018. Construction by Huntington Ingalls Industries began on 11 May 2021.

On June 5, 2025 it was announced the contract for Friedman was cancelled, in an agreement between Huntington Ingalls Industries and the Trump administration.

Because of the similarity between the FF(X) frigate and the Legend-class cutter, the US Navy intends to utilize parts from the canceled Friedman to achieve the target of launching the first FF(X) frigate by late 2028.

References

  1. ↑ "Production Awarded For Eighth National Security Cutter" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Coast Guard Selects Small UAS For NSC" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "fy18-omni-homeland-sum". appropriations.senate.gov. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Coast Guard announces homeport of newest National Security Cutter". Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  5. 1 2 LaGrone, Sam (5 June 2025). "Ingalls, Coast Guard Scrap 11th National Security Cutter Over Contract Impasse, Says HII". USNI News. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "National Security Cutter (NSC)". Integrated Deepwater System Program. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  7. ↑ John Pike. "Maritime Security Cutter, Large (WMSL) / National Security Cutter (NSC)". Archived from the original on 1 September 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  8. ↑ "Huntington Ingalls Industries begins fabrication of National Security Cutter Friedman (WMSL 760)". Huntington Ingalls Industries. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  9. ↑ Gossrow, Ethan (2 May 2026). "U.S. Navy wants first FF(X) frigate in the water by 2028". Naval News. Retrieved 3 May 2026.