Austal USA hosts Chief of Naval Operations
MOBILE, Ala. – Austal USA welcomed U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday at the company’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard today. The CNO toured the shipyard’s facility and discussed the company’s growing diversity of design and shipbuilding contracts. During his tour, the CNO witnessed the production of both steel and aluminum ships in the company’s 867,000-square-foot module manufacturing facility, including operations supporting the submarine industrial base.
Austal USA leadership briefed the CNO on the company’s involvement in several autonomous surface vessel programs, including the successful addition of autonomous capabilities to EPF 13, construction and retrofit of Overlord-class vessels that will feature Austal’s in-house designed machinery control system as well as production of Saildrone Inc.’s high-tech uncrewed surface vehicle Surveyor. Austal’s leadership took advantage of this opportunity to discuss the company’s support of General Dynamics Electric Boat on the Navy’s Virginia and Columbia-class submarine programs and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding on their Ford-class aircraft carrier contracts.
This was Admiral Gilday’s first visit to Austal USA, providing him a firsthand look at the company’s state-of-the-art module manufacturing facility which houses separate steel and aluminum assembly lines. The addition of Austal USA’s high-tech steel shipbuilding production line has resulted in the company’s capability to manufacture increasingly complex ships and components. The group continued on to the final assembly bays, toured on-board Cody (EPF 14), the first EPF Flight II ship with medical capabilities, and ended at the vessel completion yard where the future USS Augusta (LCS 34) is moored.
“We were honored to have the opportunity to show Admiral Gilday our talented workforce and modern facilities. Pairing our recent facility expansion with the talent of our shipbuilders and our disciplined lean manufacturing processes, we have the capacity to do more, and we are eager to meet the needs of our defense customers” stated Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh. “We’re proud of our accomplishments to date and look forward to continue to be a key component of the Nation’s shipbuilding industrial base.”
Coinciding with Austal USA’s facility investments totaling more than $560 million, are expansions to its product lines. Growing from being the prime contractor of the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship and EPF programs, Austal USA is now under contract for numerous additional shipbuilding programs across the Navy and Coast Guard.
Austal USA has delivered 28 battle force ships to the Navy since 2009. The company’s investments have also included the establishment of ship service facilities in Mobile, Ala., San Diego, Calif., and Singapore and a facility for advanced technologies in Charlottesville, Va.
