Third Joint High Speed Vessel delivered

Austal USA officially delivered USNS Millinocket (JHSV 3) to the United States Navy today. This is the third Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) delivered to date for the JHSV Program which totals 10 ships at over $1.6 billion.

Austal USA President, Craig Perciavalle, had this to say regarding the delivery of Austal’s third JHSV: “The incredible shipbuilding professionals at Austal USA, along with our teammates from GDAIS and the Navy have done a fantastic job in delivering our third Joint High Speed Vessel. USNS Millinocket was constructed by some of the finest shipbuilders in the country with incredible capabilities that will serve our combatant commanders and sailors well for many, many years to come. Congratulations to all who’ve worked so hard to bring this incredible ship to life.”

The 338-foot-long aluminum catamarans are designed to be fast, flexible and maneuverable even in shallow waters, making them ideal for transporting troops and equipment quickly within a theater of operations. The ship has the ability to support a variety of operations, supporting the warfighter through traditional logistics missions, humanitarian support projects, disaster response or by supporting maritime law enforcement activities.

The JHSV Program continues to progress well at Austal USA. In addition to the delivery of USNS Millinocket (JHSV 3): USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) was delivered in December 2012 and has been deployed; USNS Choctaw County (JHSV 2) was delivered to the Navy in June 2013; USNS Fall River (JHSV 4) was christened and launched in January and is preparing for sea trials; construction is well underway on Trenton (JHSV 5) which has begun final assembly; and construction began in January for Brunswick (JHSV 6) in the Module Manufacturing Facility.

“We are very pleased with how well the JHSV program has matured as we continue to meet our commitments to the Navy,” Mr. Perciavalle added. “We are especially pleased with how well the first two ships of the class, Austal delivered, are performing and we remain committed to building on that success going forward.”

In addition to the JHSV program, Austal is also currently under contract with the U.S. Navy to build ten 127-meter Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for over $3.5 billion. Five LCSs are at various stages of construction, including Jackson (LCS 6), which was recently launched in December. Coronado (LCS 4) was delivered late last year under a separate contract and sailed away in January.

For the LCS and JHSV programs, Austal, as prime contractor, is teamed with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics. For the JHSV program, General Dynamics is responsible for the design, integration and testing of the ship’s navigation and communication systems, C4I and aviation systems.

Austal USA is a full-service shipyard offering design, construction and aluminum vessel service and repair. As Austal USA continues to expand its service and repair capabilities, the company is well-positioned for new business with engineering, test and trials capabilities, and a new waterfront facility on the Mobile River.

About Austal

Austal is a global defense prime contractor. The Company designs, constructs and maintains revolutionary platforms such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) for the U.S. Navy, as well as an extensive range of patrol and auxiliary vessels for defense forces and government agencies globally. Austal also designs, installs, integrates and maintains sophisticated communications, radar and command and control systems.

Austal benefits from its position as a world leader in the design, construction and support of customized, high-performance aluminum vessels for the commercial high-speed ferry market, an achievement gained over a period of over 25 years.

Austal’s primary facilities comprise a dedicated defense shipyard in Mobile, Alabama; a combined defense and commercial shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia; and a dedicated commercial shipyard in Balamban, Philippines. The Company also provides vessel support services from its facilities in the United States, Australia, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

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For further information contact:
Terry O’Brien, Vice President of Business Development and External Affairs, Austal USA
Michelle Bowden, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 1-251-434-8000
Fax: 1-251-445-1912
Email: michelle.bowden@austalusa.com
Website: www.austal.com