Austal USA to Build Fifth T-ATS Ship for the US Navy
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA has been awarded a $71,706,745 fixed-price incentive contract option from the U.S. Navy for the construction of an additional Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 15).
With the award, the company is now under contract for five T-ATS, having received awards for T-ATS 13 and 14 in July 2022 and T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.
Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA's Australian parent company Austal, said the contract award again highlights Austal USA’s growing steel shipbuilding capability, following the start of construction on T-ATS 11 and 12, and more recently the Auxiliary Floating Dock Medium, for the United States Navy.
“Austal USA’s steel shipbuilding capabilities and capacity continues to impress, with three steel vessels now underway in Mobile, Alabama; in addition to the multiple aluminium vessels and component projects also under construction,” Gregg said.
“In addition to the LCS, EPF and T-ATS programs, construction has just commenced on the steel Auxiliary Floating Dock Medium (AFDM), which will further demonstrate Austal USA’s capabilities and capacity to deliver large steel vessels for the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard.”
“The Austal USA team are also delivering submarine modules for the Virginia-class submarines and aircraft elevators for the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, so they are without doubt making a significant contribution to the United States’ defense industrial base.”
T-ATS is an oceangoing tug, salvage and rescue ship designed to support the U.S. Navy’s fleet operations, with a multi-mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. The ships can support a variety of missions, including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue and surveillance.
With construction due to commence on T-ATS 13 and 14 in the second half of CY2023, T-ATS 15 is scheduled to commence construction in the first half of CY2024, with delivery planned in late 2027.
In addition to T-ATS, Austal USA is currently constructing the Navy’s Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships and Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ships and has commenced construction of a 211-metre steel Auxiliary Floating Drydock (Medium).
In May 2023 Austal USA was awarded a contract for the detail design and construction of up to 7 steel T-AGOS Ocean Surveillance Ships worth up to US$3.2 billion and in 2022, the company was awarded a contract for up to 11 steel Offshore Patrol Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard, worth up to $3.3 billion.