Bollinger Delivers USCGC Edgar Culbertson, the 37th Fast-Response Boat

LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards delivered the USCGC Edgar Culbertson, the 37th fast-response cutter (FRC), to the U.S. Coast Guard on Feb. 6 in Key West, Florida, the company said in a release. 

Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself or herself in the line of duty. The Culbertson is named after the boatswain’s mate first class petty officer who died in the line of duty while trying to rescue three teenage brothers during a fierce storm in Duluth, Minnesota, in April 1967. Culbertson was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal for his bravery and heroism. 

“We are very pleased to announce the latest FRC delivery,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger’s president and CEO. ”The USCGC Edgar Culbertson is the second of three fast-response cutters to be home-ported in Galveston, Texas. The industrial base of over 600 local men and women at Bollinger constructing these high-quality vessels have consistently delivered over half of the program of record to date, with the highest quality, on schedule and within budget.” 

“While providing the United States Coast Guard with an extremely capable and affordable asset, the Bollinger FRC program also provides tremendous benefits to … Louisiana, not only through highly skilled and well-paying jobs, but also through its direct and indirect spending, resulting in millions of dollars of economic benefits to the state,” Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) said. 

The 154-foot Sentinel-class has a flank speed of 28 knots, state-of-the-art command, control, communications and computer technology and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat. 

Senior Coast Guard officials have described the FRC as an operational “game-changer.” The cutters have been deployed as far as 4,400 nautical miles from homeport, highlighting the FRC’s operational reach and capability.