The U.S. Coast Guard marked the anniversary of Sept. 11 by laying the keel for a new cutter designed for homeland security missions.
The cutter Waesche will be the second National Security Cutter (NSC) of the eight the Coast Guard plans to build over the years.
The ship is designed for a top speed of 29 knots and will be capable of launching inflatable boats as well as helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. It will be armed with a 57-millimeter deck and an electronic warfare suite.