USCGC Friedman

USCGC Friedman (WMSL-760)

Legend-class cutter
History
United States
Name	Friedman
Namesake	Elizebeth Smith Friedman
Awarded	21 December 2018
Builder	Huntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Cost	$499.76 million [1]
Identification	Pennant number: WMSL-760
Status	Cancelled June 5, 2025
General characteristics
Class & type	Legend-class cutter
Displacement	4,500 long tons (4,600  t)
Length	418 ft (127 m)
Beam	54 ft (16 m)
Draft	22.5 ft (6.9 m)
Propulsion	Combined diesel and gas
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	12,000  nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi)
Endurance	60 to 90-day patrol cycles
Complement	120
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	1 x Mk-110 57 mm Naval Gun System (variant of the Bofors 57 mm gun) 1 × 20 mm Block 1B Phalanx close-in weapons system 4 × .50 caliber machine guns 2 × M240B 7.62 mm machine guns
Armor	Ballistic protection for main gun
Aircraft carried	2 x MH-65C Dolphin MCH, or 1 x MH-65C Dolphin MCH and 2 x sUAS [2]

USCGC Friedman (WMSL-760) was to be the eleventh Legend-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard. ^{[3] [4]} On June 5, 2025 it was announced per agreement between Huntington Ingalls Industries and the Trump administration that she had been cancelled. ^[5] She was to be the first ship to be named after Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the famous American cryptologist.

Development and design

Main article: Legend-class cutter

All of Legend-class cutters were constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries and were part of the Integrated Deepwater System Program. ^[6] 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. ^[7] 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. ^[8]

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

References

1. "Production Awarded For Eighth National Security Cutter" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
2. "Coast Guard Selects Small UAS For NSC" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 27, 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. LaGrone, Sam (2025-06-05). "Ingalls, Coast Guard Scrap 11th National Security Cutter Over Contract Impasse, Says HII". USNI News. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
6. "National Security Cutter (NSC)". Integrated Deepwater System Program. Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
7. John Pike. "Maritime Security Cutter, Large (WMSL) / National Security Cutter (NSC)". Archived from the original on 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
8. "Huntington Ingalls Industries begins fabrication of National Security Cutter Friedman (WMSL 760)". Huntington Ingalls Industries. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.