Two more US Navy contracts for Austal

The construction contract for the two vessels is valued at about $321.7 million. As prime contractor, Austal was awarded the construction contract for the first 103m JHSV in November 2008, with options for nine additional vessels. The Austal JHSV team includes platform systems engineering agent General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems which is responsible for the design, integration and test of the ship’s mission systems, including internal and external communications, electronic navigation, and aviation and armament systems.

Austal received authorisation from the Navy to start construction on the first vessel of the contract, USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), in December 2009 after completing the design in a 12-month period. USNS Spearhead is scheduled for builder’s sea trials in early March. Choctaw County (JHSV 2) is taking shape in Austal’s final assembly bay and modules for JHSV 3 are being constructed in the module manufacturing facility; official keel laying is scheduled for April 12.

Austal USA’s president and chief operating officer Joe Rella commented: “The Navy’s growing confidence in Austal and the JHSV program becomes more evident with each new contract award. Austal will continue to reward our customer with improved efficiency evidenced in our continued on-time delivery of high-quality, affordable ships.”

Austal recently christened a second Independence-variant 127m US Navy littoral combat ship (LCS), Coronado (LCS 4), which is preparing for builder’s trials. Austal has a US Navy contract for construction of up to an additional 10 LCS, including Jackson (LCS 6) and Montgomery (LCS 8). Once commissioned, these 10 ships will join the Austal-built USS Independence (LCS 2) which was commissioned in January 2010.