Austal gets to work on new class of US Navy’s logistics ship

Defense contractor Austal USA was awarded a $2 million contract to perform design studies for the US Navy’s next-generation logistics ship (NGLS) program.

As disclosed, this contract requires the company to develop a new baseline design and perform specific trade studies for the US Navy’s newest logistics ship.  Austal, as the shipbuilder and design agent, will be the prime contractor.

“Austal is excited to begin work on another U.S. Navy steel shipbuilding program,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said. “This contract, combined with our recent T-ATS ship construction contract award and the concept studies we are performing on the LAW program, demonstrate our commitment to bring the same industry leading quality to steel ships as we have been delivering for aluminum ships.”

The mission of the NGLS fleet will include refueling, rearming, and resupply of naval assets.

In October this year, the defense firm was contracted to develop a detailed design and construction of towage, salvage, and rescue ships (T-ATS).

T-ATS will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support US fleet operations and will be a multi-mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. These ships will be able to support current missions, including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide-area search and surveillance.

The NGLS program represents a new class of medium-sized at-sea supply ships intended to support small surface combatants such as littoral combat ships (LCS) and frigates as well as the navy’s planned light amphibious warships (LAW).