Austal USA to build another Navajo-class T-ATS for US Navy

Austal USA has been awarded a contract option from the US 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.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg 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 US Navy.

T-ATS is an ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue ship designed to support the United States 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 United States 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 United States Coast Guard, worth up to US $3.3 billion.