Page 30: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2022)

NAVAL SHIPBUILDING

But the investment really paid off when the Mobile-Ala., yard Doris Miller (CVN 81), are under construction. NNS is also won the competition for phase II of the Coast Guard Offshore building Virginia-class attack submarines .

Patrol Cutter (OPC). This will provide up to 11 of the 360-foot 4,500-ton cutters. SUBMARINES

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) of Panama City, Fla., General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) Electric Boat and was the original OPC prime contractor. Although they were NNS are building the Virginia class fast attack submarines expected to build the ? rst ten OPCs, ESG’s shipbuilding fa- (SSNs) in a teaming arrangement. “We build different por- cilities were damaged following Hurricane Michael in October tions of each ship and alternate ? nal assembly at our respective of 2018. The shipyard submitted a request for extraordinary yards,” said EB spokesman Daniel McFadden. relief to help the facility recover and the people return to work. The sail, stern, bow, habitability, machinery spaces, and tor-

Subsequently, relief was granted, but limited to the ? rst four pedo room are assembled at NNS, while EB’s Groton, Conn., hulls in the OPC program. The Coast Guard announced that and Quonset Point, R.I. facilities are building the engine room the OPC program would be restructured to include a competi- and control room. The shipyards take turns building the reactor tion for a new contract to build subsequent OPCs. That award plant and the ? nal assembly, out? tting and delivery.

went to Austal USA. “Currently there are 13 ships in various stages of production.

HII is constructing the 1,092-foot, 100,000-ton Gerald R. The next delivery from Electric Boat will be the Hyman G.

Ford-class aircraft carriers and Virginia-class attack subma- Rickover (SSN 795),” McFadden said.

rines at its Newport News Shipbuilding NNS) in Virginia The Virginia-class construction has progressed in blocks,

The ? rst, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was commissioned with the boats having successively more capability or built in 2017. The next three—Precommissioning Unit (PCU) John with more ef? ciency. The Block III submarines were being

F. Kennedy (CVN 79), PCU Enterprise (CVN 80) and PCU built with a pair of multipurpose Virginia Payload Tubes

Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., began construction of the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue

Ships (T-ATS) on July 11. The company was awarded a contract for T-ATS 11 and 12 in

October 2021, and two more on July 22, 2022.

Austal USA image 30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2022

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