Austal USA awarded functional design contract for towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS)

Mobile, Ala. – Austal USA was awarded a $3.6 million contract by the United States Navy for the functional design of the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) May 28. This marks the first steel new construction contract for the company after breaking ground on a new steel manufacturing line in March. The line will be operational in April 2022.

Austal will define detailed requirements to construct, test, and deliver T-ATS ships in accordance with government ship specifications. T-ATS is a 263-foot (80 meter) steel hulled multi-mission platform scheduled to replace the capabilities of both the retiring Rescue and Salvage Ship (T-ARS 50) class and Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) class mission requirements. The ships are able to support towing, salvage, rescue, oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide area search and surveillance. T-ATS can also embark containerized systems including cyber, electronic warfare, and decoy and surveillance packages. The work will be performed in Mobile, Ala.