The US Navy has awarded Austal USA a $156 million contract to develop two more Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ships (T-ATS).
The award follows the T-ATS 11 and 12 construction deal in October last year, bringing the total under contract by Austal to four.
The T-ATS will enhance fleet performance in wide-area search and rescue, surveillance, and other military operations. The vessels’ multi-mission capabilities also allow the towing of other heavy ships, humanitarian assistance, and oil spill response.
T-ATS 13 and 14 construction will begin in 2023 and 2024. They are expected to be completed by 2025 and 2026.
“The T-ATS program is special to our team as it represents the start of construction of a new class of ship for our shipbuilding team,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said in a press release.
“This contract is important because it provides us the backlog to really optimize production over the course of these four ships,” he continued.
Alongside the T-ATS, the shipyard is busy with other navy contracts, including assembly of the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, Expeditionary Fast Transport, and Auxiliary Floating Drydock Medium. The firm is also building an Offshore Patrol Cutter for the US Coast Guard.