Report shows delays, design flaws impacted US Coast Guard's offshore patrol cutter acquisition

The stage one shipbuilder made limited progress since GAO last reported on the OPC program.

In 2023, GAO found that construction of OPCs one through four began without a stable design, contrary to shipbuilding leading practices. This led to rework, which delayed ship deliveries.

The coast guard took steps in 2024 to prioritise delivery of OPC number one, such as adding payments at certain milestones, but these steps were largely unsuccessful.

As of July 2025, the coast guard terminated construction of OPCs three and four as part of an ongoing review of the current stage one contract, and delivery of OPC one was expected more than five years late.