By Troy Turner
Austal USA LLC, headquartered in Mobile, recently added to its growing list of U.S. Navy contracts by winning bids for upgrades and new construction. The contracts include repair work on littoral combat ships; and the building of at least three Landing Craft Utility vessels, with options for nine more.
The Department of Defense agreed to a contract modification that could bring Austal a final deal of nearly $216 million “for emergent repair and continuous maintenance for littoral combat ships deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the countries and ports therein.”
The Independence class of littoral combat ships are built in Mobile and are multipurpose warships intended to perform various duties, especially in combat roles near shore.
Work will begin January 2024 and is expected to be completed by December 2024. However, if all options are exercised work could be extended until December 2026.
The work primarily will be performed in Singapore, with additional work possible in countries and ports within the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Site Singapore, is the contracting activity
Austal also recently won a nearly $92 million contract for the detail design and construction of three Landing Craft Utility vessels and options for nine additional craft and associated support efforts.
The Navy describes its Landing Craft Utility boats as “rugged, steel displacement vessels used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops from ship to the shore, along the shore, and from shore back to the amphibious warships. Landing craft are also used to support civilian humanitarian/maritime operations.”
Construction of additional craft may be subject to future competition in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Therefore, the dollar values associated with the contract options are considered competition-sensitive information and will not be made public at this time, the DoD announced.
Work will be performed in Mobile (72%); Harahan, Louisiana (5%); Shoreline, Washington (4%); Semmes, Alabama (3%); Peoria, Illinois (2%); Houma, Louisiana (2%); Mandeville, Louisiana (2%), and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 10%).
Work is expected to be completed by July 2026. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 2029.
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
