$ 1 9 5 . 4 - M i i l i o n Contract For Three Frigates A w a r d e d To Bath Y a rd

A $lS5.4-miIlion contract for c o n s t r u c t i o n of three FFG-7 class guided-missile frigates was awarded by the U.S. Navy recently to Bath Iron Works Corporation, a Congoleum company.

The award raises to 16 the. number of the versatile ships currently under contract to the Bath, Maine, shipyard, and increases its total work backlog to roughly $650 million, "The three new frigates extend our shipbuilding backlog an additional year, providing a solid base of work into 1984," said John F. Sullivan Jr., president and chief executive officer. "But far more important, these ships are vitally needed by our Navy, which has dwindled to 462 vessels as contrasted to the Soviet fleet of 1,764 ships." Frigates of the FFG-7 class, built for defense against submarines, surface ships, and aircraft, are 445 feet in length and displace 3,600 tons fully loaded. They are powered by twin gas turbines that develop a total of 40,000 shp.

The ships are designed for multiple missions, including keeping international sea lanes open, providing naval force in crisis or conflict, maintaining U.S. presence wherever national interests dictate.

The Bath Iron Works president noted that the program has met all schedules and budgets throughout design and construction phases, and the ships have exceeded performance specifications.

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First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.