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The Coast Guard commissioned Coast Guard Cutter John Witherspoon on April 3, 2025. It is the 58th fast response cutter (FRC) and the first of three FRCs scheduled to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak.

The Coast Guard accepted delivery of the 59th fast response cutter, Earl Cunningham, on March 6, 2025, in Key West, Florida.

The Coast Guard accepted delivery of the 58th fast response cutter, Coast Guard Cutter John Witherspoon, on Nov. 7, 2024, in Key West, Florida. It is the first of three FRCs that will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska.

 

Fast Response Cutter

For more photos of the Fast Response Cutter, visit the image gallery on Flickr.

The Sentinel-class fast response cutter is a key component of the Coast Guard’s offshore fleet that is capable of deploying independently to conduct missions that include port, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense.

Why this program?

Named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes, the FRCs are replacing the aging Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The Sentinel-class cutter project delivers vital capability to the Coast Guard, helping to meet the service’s need in the coastal zone and adjacent waters. FRCs facilitated hundreds of domestic fisheries boardings, apprehended 105 suspected drug smugglers, interdicted 18,877 kilograms of cocaine – depriving transnational criminal organizations of $787 million in profits – and rescued or interdicted 1,805 irregular maritime migrants during fiscal year 2021.

Acquisition strategy

The Coast Guard selected a “parent-craft” design for the Sentinel-class cutters to ensure that the operating force receives new vessels capable of performing the required missions, as quickly as possible. The Coast Guard coined the term “parent-craft” to describe the use of an existing ship design that has successfully performed equivalent missions.

The Coast Guard followed a disciplined acquisition strategy including careful analysis of operational requirements; conducting worldwide market research; close consultation with Coast Guard technical authorities; use of the services of the U.S. Navy, use of independent commercial agents; a full and open competition, and an assessment of the most competitive designs put forth by industry.

 

The fast response cutter is capable of deploying independently to conduct missions that include port, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense.

Characteristics

  • Number Planned: 67
  • Length: 154 feet
  • Beam: 25 feet
  • Draft: 9 feet 6 inches
  • Displacement: 353 long tons
  • Maximum Speed: 28+ knots
  • Range: 2,500 nautical miles
  • Endurance: Five days
  • Crew: 24

Features

  • Enhanced response time with a minimum top speed of 28 knots
  • Ability to conduct missions on moderate seas up to transit speed for eight hours in all directions
  • Ability to survive on very rough seas up to loiter speed for eight hours in all directions
  • Armed with a stabilized 25-mm machine gun mount and four crew-served .50-caliber machine guns
  • Fully interoperable command and control systems with Coast Guard existing and future assets and with the departments of Homeland Security and Defense

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