AUSTAL AWARDED MORE CONTRACTS, STARTS STEEL PRODUCTION

Business View – September 2022 / Business News

Austal USA has been busier than ever thanks to its new steel production capabilities.

The shipbuilder announced it was awarded the Detailed Design and Construction (DD&C) contract valued at $128 million for the U.S. Navy Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM).

“I am proud of our Austal USA team for developing a winning proposal,” said Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh. “The AFDM award is evidence of our expanding capability and focus on delivering a diverse portfolio of solutions to our customers, from combatants to dry docks. We are looking forward to providing the U.S. Navy with an exceptional floating dry dock using our lean manufacturing approach.”

Next, Austal USA announced it was awarded a contract with a potential value of $3.3 billion for the detail design and construction of up to 11 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) for the U.S. Coast Guard.

The 360-foot OPCs will provide the majority of offshore presence for the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet and will be capable of conducting a variety of missions, including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue. With a range of 10,200 nautical miles at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance period, each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups and serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events.

“The Austal USA team is excited to support the U.S. Coast Guard using our new steel panel line to manufacture and deliver ships highly capable of performing their critical homeland security and defense missions,” Murdaugh said. “This contract award is the result of our continued investment in our people and our facilities. We are honored the Coast Guard has selected our team of shipbuilders to deliver its most important acquisition program.”

Finally, Austal USA celebrated the start of construction on the company’s first steel ship, a U.S. Navy Navajo Class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).

The milestone was observed during a ceremony attended by Congressman Jerry Carl and Rear Adm. Thomas J. Anderson, the U.S. Navy’s program executive officer for ships, alongside Austal USA Vice President of New Construction Dave Growden, Mobile Chamber President and CEO Bradley Byrne and Richard Stimpson with Leavell Investments and the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee Chair.

“It seems like only yesterday we were breaking ground on our steel shipbuilding facility and here we are, a little over a year later, beginning construction on our first steel ship,” Growden said. “Our shipbuilders are excited to demonstrate how effectively their talent and our proven processes translate to steel production.”

Click here to read the Business View – September 2022

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