The Coast Guard's
Island-class cutters were launched between 1986 and 1992. On 26 September 2008 the Coast Guard awarded a contract to
Bollinger Shipyards for the lead ship in the Sentinel class which would replace the aging Island class. This contract included options to build an additional 33 ships. The Coast Guard exercised all the options and, in May 2016, awarded Bollinger a new contract with options for 26 more of the cutters, including
Earl Cunningham. The average cost of the ships under contract at that point was approximately $65 million.
Earl Cunningham was built by Bollinger Shipyards in
Lockport, Louisiana. On 6 March 2025, she was delivered to the Coast Guard at
Key West, Florida.
Earl Cunningham is long, with a
beam of , and a full-load
draft of . She
displaces 353 tons when fully loaded. Her hull is built of welded steel plates, while her superstructure is made of aluminum. The ship is propelled by two Tier II 20-cylinder
mtu 20 V 4000 M93L
Diesel engines which produce 5,676
horsepower each. These drive two six-bladed fixed-pitch propellers. This propulsion package gives her a continuous cruising speed of 28 knots. Her fuel tanks hold over giving
Earl Cunningham an unrefueled range of 2,500 nautical miles at 15 knots. to reduce rolling. She is armed with a remotely-controlled, gyro-stabilized
Mark 38 25 mm autocannon, four crew served
M2 Browning machine guns, and light arms.
Earl Cunningham, like all the Sentinel-class cutters, is equipped with a
stern launching ramp, that allows her to launch and retrieve a -long
Over-the-Horizon cutter boat without first coming to a stop. Her cutter boat is useful for inspecting other vessels, and deploying boarding parties. As its top speed is 40 knots, it can pursue vessels which attempt to flee. It is equipped with an inboard Diesel engine which propels the boat by a
jet drive.
Earl Cunningham has a crew of 24 men and women. ==Achievements==