USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757)

Summary

USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757) is the eighth Legend-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard and is stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. The cutter was constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding Division in Pascagoula Mississippi and delivered to the Coast Guard in April 2019.[6][7] It is named in honor of all members of the Midgett family who have served in the U.S. Coast Guard, United States Life-Saving Service, and/or other predecessor life-saving services.[8] Seven members of the Midgett family have been awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal including John Allen Midgett Jr. and Rasmus Midgett.[9]

USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757)
History
United States
NameUSCGC Midgett (WMSL-757)
AwardedMarch 31, 2015
BuilderHuntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Cost$499.76 Million[4]
Laid downJanuary 30, 2017
LaunchedNovember 22, 2017
Sponsored byJazania H. O’Neal[2]
ChristenedDecember 9, 2017[3]
CommissionedAugust 24, 2019
Identification
Motto"A Legacy of Bravery"[1]
StatusIn Service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeLegend-class cutter
Displacement4500 LT
Length418 ft (127 m)
Beam54 ft (16 m)
Draft22.5 ft (6.9 m)
PropulsionCombined diesel and gas
Speed28 knots
Range12,000 nm
Endurance60 to 90-day patrol cycles
Complement148
Sensors and
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 [Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk] and 1 x sUAS[5]

Construction Milestones edit

Ingalls Shipbuilding conducted at-sea builder's trials for the cutter on January 22–25 and February 12–13, 2019. The cutter underwent acceptance testing conducted by the U.S. Navy Board of Inspection and Survey from March 25–28, 2019.[10]

Special Commissioning and Maiden Voyage edit

 
Members of the extended Midgett family onboard the cutter during a reception in Norfolk VA

Ingalls Shipbuilding delivered Midgett to the U.S. Coast Guard on April 30, 2019. Immediately upon receipt, the Coast Guard placed the cutter in 'Commission Special'. A small ceremony was held on the Midgett flight deck on May 1, 2019 which was attended by the crew of the cutter, USCG Project Resident Office Gulf Coast, and Ingalls Shipbuilding representatives.[11][12] The cutter made her final sail-away from Ingalls Shipbuilding on June 11, 2019 and commenced her maiden voyage.

In early July 2019 while transiting off of North Carolina, Midgett conducted her first search and rescue operation when directed to assist a mariner on a disabled sailing vessel.[13] On July 9, 2019, a 'Midgett Legacy Reception' was held onboard the cutter in Norfolk Virginia. Over 100 members of the extended Midgett family attended the event and toured the new ship.

 
Midgett, an HC-130 search & rescue plane and USCGC Kimball (WMSL-756), sailing off Diamond Head, Hawaii, August 2019

On July 25, 2019, during the vessel's transit to Honolulu, the Midgett seized more than 2,100 pounds of cocaine from a low-profile vessel in international waters in the Eastern Pacific. On July 31, 2019, the Midgett seized more than 4,600 pounds of cocaine from a second low-profile vessel, their second cocaine bust in five days.[14][15] Midgett arrived in her homeport of Honolulu for the first time on August 16, 2019.[16]

Commissioning edit

The Midgett was commissioned by the Coast Guard on August 24, 2019 in a dual ceremony with USCGC Kimball (WMSL-756).[17]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "USCGC MIDGETT Logo". USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "Christening of Midgett (WMSL 757) - Ship's Sponsor". huntingtoningalls.com. Huntington Ingalls. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  3. ^ "Coast Guard Christens Eighth National Security Cutter". USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "Production Awarded For Eighth National Security Cutter" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "Coast Guard Selects Small UAS For NSC" (PDF). USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  6. ^ "Eighth National Security Cutter Launched". USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  7. ^ "Huntington Ingalls Industries Delivers Eighth National Security Cutter Midgett to U.S. Coast Guard". huntingtoningalls.com. Huntington Ingalls. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  8. ^ "Keel Authenticated For Eighth National Security Cutter". USCG.mil. US Coast Guard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  9. ^ "Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal Awardees". patriotfiles.com. The Patriot Files. Archived from the original on November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  10. ^ "Huntington Ingalls Industries Successfully Completes Acceptance Trials For National Security Cutter Midgett". huntingtoningalls.com. Huntington Ingalls. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Huntington Ingalls Industries Delivers Eighth National Security Cutter Midgett to U.S. Coast Guard". huntingtoningalls.com. Huntington Ingalls. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  12. ^ "Ingalls hands over new cutter to U.S. Coast Guard". WLOX. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "New National Security Cutter responds to 1st search and rescue mission, prior to commissioning". govdelivery.com. U.S. Coast Guard. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  14. ^ "Coast Guard cutter's crew makes massive 4,600-pound cocaine bust, 2nd in 5 days". Fox News. 15 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Coast Guard's newest national security cutter makes second cocaine seizure within five days, 4,600 pounds of cocaine interdicted". U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  16. ^ "Coast Guard welcomes its newest, state-of-the-art cutter to Hawaii". Hawaii News Now. 17 August 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  17. ^ "Coast Guard commissions the two newest national security cutters in Honolulu". Coast Guard News. August 25, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2019.

External links edit

  Media related to USCGC Midgett (WMSL-757) at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website