WASHINGTON - The Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., is ahead of schedule in revamping its facilities to build steel ships. It has been building aluminum-only ships like LCS and EPFs. But, the burning questions about Navy shipbuilding plans have left the shipyard – part of Austal’s Australian HQ – with uncertainty what steel work may be available in the near future. The yard is completing its final five LCS contract. Austal USA is investing about $200M to expand and grow its ship repair business, according to Larry Ryder, Austal USA’s VP of business development and external affairs. About half of that is to convert production lines to work with steel. The yard is making modifications to steel that are planned to begin in April 2022. The challenge: Finding steel-ship contracts on which to bid. The south Alabama yard is looking at the Navy’s new light amphibious warship, next-generation logistics ship and T-AGOS ocean surveillance ship programs, and Coast Guard’s offshore patrol cutters. The biggest prized would be as the follow-on yard to the new frigate program, which would duplicate of Fincantieri’s Constellation-class frigate. (Source: Defense News 09/13/21) Austal ahead of schedule in yard upgrades, but still awaiting ships to build (defensenews.com)
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