The Government Accountability Office has warned that the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter program faces significant risks of costly rework and schedule delays due to premature construction without a stable ship design. The $17 billion program to acquire 25 new cutters began production on OPC 5 in August 2024 despite unfinalized design specifications. With stage 1 already experiencing a five-year delay and two contracted vessels halted, the watchdog urges design stabilization before proceeding with additional ships and subsequent contract phases.