Home Americas Austal nabs potential $3.2B deal for new US Navy surveillance ships

Austal nabs potential $3.2B deal for new US Navy surveillance ships

US Navy new T-AGOS 25 class
Rendering: Austal USA

The US Navy has selected Austal USA for detail design of the new Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance Ship (T-AGOS 25) class, awarding the company a $113.9 million contract on May 18.

The deal includes options for detail design and construction of up to seven T-AGOS 25 class surveillance ships which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to US$3.19 billion.

The T-AGOS(25) class will replace the existing capability of four T-AGOS 19 and one T-AGOS 23 small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) ships as they reach the end of their service lives beginning in 2026.

The 110 meter, steel SWATH vessels will be the platform for the surveillance towed array sensor system (SURTASS) and will have a 30-year service life threshold requirement.

Operated by United States Military Sealift Command (MSC), the ships will support the antisubmarine warfare (ASW) mission of the commanders of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets by providing a platform capable of passive and active anti-submarine acoustic surveillance.

Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg said the T-AGOS contract adds to Austal USA’s growing portfolio of steel shipbuilding programs.

“T-AGOS is a unique auxiliary naval platform that plays an integral role in supporting Navy’s antisubmarine warfare mission. Austal USA is honored to be selected to deliver this critical capability for the Navy, utilizing our advanced manufacturing processes, state-of-the-art steel shipbuilding facilities and our growing team of shipbuilders,” Gregg said.

As prime contractor for the contract, Austal USA is teaming with L3Harris Technologies, Noise Control Engineering, TAI Engineering, and Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors to deliver the TAGOS-25 program, from the company’s new steel shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Alabama.

US Navy exercises option for fourth Constellation-class frigate

On the same day it awarded Austal the contract for the T-AGOS(25) program, the navy exercised a $526.3 million contract option for a fourth Constellation class guided-missile frigate.

First-in-class Constellation (FFG 62) is in production in Marinette, Wisconsin, and sister ships Congress (FFG 63) and Chesapeake (FFG 64) are under contract.

The Constellation class will have multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations. Specifically, the FFG 62 class includes an enterprise air surveillance radar, Baseline Ten AEGIS combat system, a Mk 41 vertical launch system, communications systems, MK 57 gun weapon system countermeasures, and added capability in electronic warfare and information operations with design flexibility for future growth.