Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2015)

SHIPS OF WAR

Austal Delivers for Militaries ... Near & Far

While Austal USA based in Mobile, Alabama, still accounts for the lion’s share of revenue (more than 80%) of the Aus- tralian based company, the entire corporation has been making waves of late delivering latest technology to naval ? eets around the globe.

Austal USA christened USNS Trenton Sixth Cape Class Patrol Boat (JHSV 5) at its shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Austal launched the sixth in-series

USNS Trenton is the ? fth of 10 Joint Cape Class Patrol Boat (CCPB) at its

High Speed Vessels (JHSV) that Austal Australian Defense Facility in Hender- has under contract with the U.S. Navy as son, Western Australia. The launch of part of an overall 10-ship block-buy con- Cape Leveque marks the third year in a tract worth over $1.6 billion. The 338-ft. row a CCPB has been launched in the catamaran was named Trenton by Sec- ? rst week of January; preceded by Cape retary of the Navy Ray Mabus, after the St George (CCPB01) in 2013 and Cape capital of the state of New Jersey and the Byron (CCPB02) in 2014.

site of George Washington’s ? rst mili- Cape Leveque is the sixth of eight tary victory during the American Revo- 58-m patrol boats that are being deliv- lutionary War. Trenton will join the four ered to the Australian Customs and Bor- other JHSVs including USNS Spearhead der Protection Service (ACBPS) by Aus- (JHSV 1) which recently left on her sec- tal as Prime Contractor under a design, ond deployment since she was delivered build and in-service sustainment con- in 2012. tract, valued at approximately $330 mil-

The ship’s sponsor, Virginia A. Kam- lion. Austal is also contracted to develop sky, is the Chairman and CEO of Kam- and integrate sophisticated electronic sky Associates, Inc. (KAI), a strategic systems for command, control and com- advisory ? rm with of? ces in Beijing munication. With the vessel in the water, and New York City. Three JHSVs and Austal is on target to achieve full vessel six Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) are completion and sea trials prior to an of? - currently under construction in Austal’s cial naming ceremony and ? nal delivery

Mobile, Alabama shipyard. Austal will to ACBPS in mid 2015. Meanwhile the launch one ship and send JHSV 5, out on remaining three Cape Class vessels are

Builder’s Sea Trials in the Gulf before at various stages of construction and will the end of January. be delivered progressively through to end of 2015. Cape Leveque is a state-of-

Keels Laid for Oman’s Naval Ships the-art maritime defense capability that

Austal Australia completed the keel will play a signi? cant role in protecting laying for two 72-m High Speed Support Australia’s borders from multiple mari-

Vessels (HSSVs) for the Royal Navy of time threats. It has been designed to have

Oman. Austal won a $124.9m contract greater range, endurance and ? exibility for the design, construction and inte- than the current ? eet of Customs and grated logistics support of two HSSVs in Border Protection vessels as well as the

March 2014, and the vessels are being Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat ? eet.

designed and built at Austal’s Australian The Cape Class Patrol Boats will be

Shipyard. Both ships are expected to be designed to undertake 28-day patrols; delivered in late 2016. sail 4,000 nm before having to refuel.

Pictures are ...

Top: Virginia A Kamsky (Sponsor) breaks the traditional bottle of champagne to christen USNS Trenton (JHSV 5), the ? rst of several Navy vessels to be chris- tened at Austal USA in 2015.

Middle: Cape Class Patrol Boat - Cape Leveque being launched

Below: Bernard Gorman, Supervisor, Austal, applying the classi? cation society stamp on a 72- High Speed Support Vessel for Oman’s Navy.

(Photo: Austal) 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • FEBRUARY 2015

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