Austal Commences Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) Construction for U.S. Navy

[Metallic]

Austal Commences Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) Construction for U.S. Navy
18 DECEMBER 2009

Authorisation was given after Austal successfully completed the Production Readiness Review

Austal has received authorisation from the US Navy to commence construction on the first of up to ten 103-metre Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV).

Authorisation was given after Austal successfully completed the Production Readiness Review (PRR), which allows Austal's Mobile, Alabama facility to immediately begin construction of Fortitude (JHSV 1).

As the US Department of Defense's next generation multi-use platform, the JHSV will provide rapid intra-theater deployment/transportation of personnel, equipment and supplies. The vessel will support military logistics, sustainment and humanitarian relief operations and will be capable of speeds up to 43 knots.

US Navy Program Manager George Sutton said "Considerable investments in the Austal shipyard coupled with the implementation of proven commercial technology gives me high levels of confidence in the shipyard's ability to execute the program."

Austal was selected as Prime contractor in November 2008 to design and build the first JHSV, with options for nine additional vessels expected to be exercised between FY09 and FY13.

Fortitude will be the first Austal design to be constructed using the new procedures and processes developed in conjunction with Austal's recently-competed Module Manufacturing Facility (MMF). The MMF (pictured right) provides Austal with assembly line efficiency, resulting in significant cost savings and reduced lead times.

Austal USA President and Chief Operating Officer, Joe Rella, commented, "What makes this program destined for success is the high degree of maturity of the design, coupled with the module manufacturing process to be completed in our new facility. Our workforce is in place and ready to start construction."

The Austal JHSV will transport medium-size operational units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to provide troop transport for an infantry battalion, allowing units to transit long distances while maintaining unit integrity. The vessel also supports helicopter operations and has an off-load vehicle ramp which enables use of austere piers and quay walls, common in developing countries. A shallow draft (under 4 metres) will further enhance theater port access.

The Austal JHSV team includes platform systems engineering agent General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS), responsible for the design, integration and testing of the ship's electronic systems.

Artist Rendering of the U.S. Navy Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV)



Source : Austal Ltd.

 

[Metallic]

Austal Awarded Construction Contract for JHSV 2 and 3
UNITED STATES - 29 JANUARY 2010

The US Navy has exercised contract options funding the construction of two additional Austal Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) - as part of an existing 10-vessel, AUD$1.8 billion program.

Austal previously received US Navy funding for long lead-time material, including diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears, for these two vessels in June 2009. The additional work is valued at approximately AUD$225 million.

Intended as the US Department of Defense's next-generation multi-use platform, the two 103 metre high speed vessels will be constructed at Austal's US facility, located in Mobile, Alabama.

Austal was selected as Prime contractor for the JHSV program in November 2008, which included construction of the first JHSV and options for nine additional vessels to be exercised between FY09 and FY13. Construction of the first Austal JHSV commenced in December 2009.

Austal Managing Director Bob Browning commented: "By exercising Options 2 and 3, the US Navy has signalled its support of this important and significant multi-vessel program."

"The JHSV program could serve to extend the United States' ability to provide humanitarian relief globally and Austal is pleased to be able to contribute to this effort through the speedy delivery of this highly flexible, low-cost vessel."

Similar to the Austal-built "WestPac Express" operated by the US Marines for the past nine years, but with the addition of a helo deck, the JHSV will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, operating in shallow waters, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded.

Two other Austal USA-built high-speed vehicle ferries, "Alakai" and "Huakai", are currently supporting the ongoing relief operation in Haiti. The JHSVs will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Austal USA's President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Rella commented, "The Navy's decision to proceed with full construction of the second and third JHSVs will serve to underpin the momentum in our shipyard and support Austal USA's objective of driving greater efficiency and associated cost controls in its shipbuilding programs."

Construction is also underway at Austal USA on a second 127 metre Austal-designed and built Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the US Navy, with the first, "USS Independence", commissioned earlier in the month. The US Navy continues to express a commitment to a 55-vessel LCS program.

Austal USA's new state-of the-art 35,000m2 Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF) facilitates the concurrent construction of both JHSV and LCS platforms. Austal USA's workforce is expected to grow to more than 1500 as a result of the JHSV program.


Source : Austal Ltd.

 

[Metallic]

U.S. Navy Orders Material for JHSV 4 and 5
UNITED STATES - 8 JUNE 2010

The US Navy has exercised contract options funding Austal’s acquisition of long lead-time equipment associated with the construction of two additional 103 metre Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV).

As the prime contractor, Austal currently has contracts to build the first three JHSVs as part of a 10-vessel program valued at up to AUD $2 billion. Today’s award funds the acquisition of long lead time material for JHSV 4 and 5.

Austal USA President and COO Joe Rella commented,

“This award signifies the US Navy’s continued commitment to the JHSV programme and confidence in Austal’s ability to reliably deliver the predecessor ships on time and budget. The long lead-time material contract award also ensures employment continuity for our US workforce.”

Austal was awarded the initial contract to design and build the first 103 metre JHSV in November 2008, with contracts for an additional two vessels awarded in January this year. Options for the remaining seven vessels are expected to be awarded between FY10 and FY13.

Similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the US Marines for the past eight years, the JHSV will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded. The vessels will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Construction of JHSV 1 “Spearhead” is currently underway at Austal’s US facility in Mobile, Alabama, with a keel laying ceremony to be held in coming weeks. JHSV 2 is scheduled to commence construction in September this year, with JHSV 3 to commence in mid-2011.

Long lead-time material for JHSV 4 and 5 will include main propulsion engines, water jets, reduction gears and other major equipment items.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is the platform mission systems engineering agent responsible for the design, integration and test of the ship’s electronic mission systems, including an open architecture computing infrastructure, internal and external communications, electronic navigation, aviation and armament systems.


Source: Austal Ltd

 

[Metallic]

Keel Laid for First Joint High Speed Vessel
UNITED STATES - 23 JULY 2010

(Washington, July 23, 2010) -- The Army and Navy authenticated the keel for the future U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) Spearhead (JHSV 1) July 22, at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., symbolically recognizing the beginning of ship construction.

Spearhead is the first ship to be built as part of the DoD's Joint High Speed Vessel program, managed by the Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

Though in development for less than four years - a relatively brief time for a major acquisition program - the ship underwent a rigorous production review process prior to the start of construction, where the ship's design maturity, the availability of materials and components and the shipbuilder's ability to successfully start fabrication were all closely evaluated.

"Our commitment to fully maturing the design prior to the start of construction has already paid huge dividends," said Capt. George Sutton, strategic and theater sealift program manager for PEO Ships. "Additionally, the use of proven commercial technologies and the shipbuilder's improvements to their production processes have paved the way for an already very successful program."

This commercially designed, non-combatant vessel leverages commercial technology and merges the previous Army Theater Support Vessel and the Navy High Speed Connector to decrease costs by taking advantage of the inherent commonality between the existing programs.

Leveraging the Navy's extensive experience in surface ship acquisition, PEO Ships has taken the lead on acquisition of both the Army and Navy high speed transport vessels. The future Spearhead is expected to be delivered to the Army's 7th Sustainment Brigade in 2012. The second ship of the class, the future USNS Vigilant, will be delivered to the Navy the following year.

"The JHSV's aggressive and streamlined acquisition process and the service's ability to leverage commercial investments has allowed us to provide a more maneuverable and flexible vessel to our warfighters," said Army Col. R. Eric Fletcher, the Army's project manager for Force Projection. "As a multiuse platform, the JHSV will provide our nation's warfighters with the capabilities to operate in a variety of missions, across the globe."

The vessels will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment for missions ranging from contingency operations and humanitarian assistance, to disaster relief and emerging seabasing concepts in austere port environments. The ships will be capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. They will be capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A2).

Other joint requirements include an aviation flight deck to support day and night air vehicle launch and recovery operations.

To further improve production efficiencies, JHSV shipbuilder Austal has constructed a Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF), completed in November 2009, which provides a five-fold increase in existing capacity and reduces construction duration.

PEO Ships is responsible for the development and acquisition of U.S. Navy surface ships and is currently managing the design and construction of 10 major surface ships classes and small boats and craft.

The PEO is committed to ensuring that prior to the start of ship construction, each program completes an exhaustive production readiness review to demonstrate that design is mature and the requirements are well understood. Fully maturing the design prior to the start of construction is one of a number of initiatives the PEO is undertaking to reduce costs in shipbuilding.