Austal Submits Final JHSV Proposal To US Navy

Austal USA submitted its Phase II Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) proposal to the US Navy this week bringing to closure the Phase I (Preliminary Design) period. Austal was one of three bidders awarded a Phase I contract in January 2008 and it is expected that a single Phase II contract will be awarded later this year for detail design and construction of the lead JHSV with options to build up to ten ships.

The Austal JHSV Team offers a low risk, proven technology solution combining the expertise of Austal USA, Austal Ships (Australia) and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS). The Austal JHSV Team delivers proven design and construction expertise of commercially based high speed vessels in the USA and the integration of military computing environments.

The JHSV program is a joint effort between the Army and Navy to acquire high-speed vessels for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment.

Austal’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, has demonstrated that it has the necessary infrastructure, processes, and skilled workforce in place to design, construct, deliver and service 100-meter+ high-speed ships in the US. Austal USA recently launched the 127-meter trimaran Littoral Combat Ship (LCS2) Independence for the US Navy and has under construction the second 107-meter Hawaii Superferry catamaran high-speed vehicle-passenger ferry. In 2007 Austal USA delivered the first Hawaii Superferry Alakai for intra-island service in the Hawaiian Islands.

Austal was recently contracted to provide additional features and equipment on the second Hawaii Superferry to facilitate its use by the military. This follows on from the long term charter, since 2001, of the Austal built 101-meter vehicle-passenger catamaran WestPac Express by the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) based on Okinawa, Japan. As an adapted commercial vessel WestPac Express has demonstrated the enormous flexibility, cost savings and efficiencies achievable by commercial fast ferry technology over conventional air or sea transport.

The ability to quickly reload and transport a wide variety of equipment and supplies across vast distances at high speed was demonstrated in the Asian Tsunami where WestPac Express rapidly delivered humanitarian assistance. This was aided by the shallow draft and manoeuvrability allowing unassisted access to damaged and unimproved ports close to the most badly damaged areas.