Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding is to purchase long-lead materials for a new National Security Cutter for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Funding for the materials procurement comes under an $88.2 million fixed-price contract issued by the Coast Guard earlier this week.

"NSC 9 will build on the performance record of her predecessors in the Legend class," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "Coast Guard leadership has stated these ships help fill a need to bolster front-line operations in the fight against crime, especially drug interdictions. Ingalls is proud and honored to be providing this most advanced fleet of cutters to enable the Coast Guard to perform its daily missions in protecting America's shores."

The obtaining of long-lead materials will give Ingalls Shipbuilding the ability to immediately start work on the ship in anticipation of the construction contract, according to Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls' vice president of program management.

Ingalls has delivered the Coast Guard's first five NSCs, which are replacing Hamilton-class High-Endurance Cutters, which entered service during the 1960s.

Ingalls' sixth Legend-class National Security Cutter, Munro, is scheduled for acceptance sea trials and delivery later this year. The seventh ship, Kimball, is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of this year, and the keel for the eighth, NSC Midgett, is scheduled to be laid soon.

Legend-class NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam. They displace 4,500 tons with a full load and have a top speed of 28 knots.