New date set for ship delivery

The Navy and Northrop Grumman settled on new goals for delivery of the next big-deck amphibious assault ship. The original date for delivery of Makin Island, under construction in Pascagoula, Miss., had been Nov. 14. But wiring problems required rework, and Northrop Grumman will bear the $360 million cost. The ship's new schedule calls for builders' trials to begin in late January with the new delivery date of May 15. (Source: Navy Times, 11/26/08)

GCRL hosts fisheries workshop

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory will present a free workshop on Mississippi’s marine fisheries at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Caylor Auditorium. It's open to the general public. Topics will include Mississippi’s spotted seatrout population monitoring, Tag and Release Program updates, tarpon occurrences in Mississippi, striped bass habitat and tracking, spotted seatrout spawning habitat and other issues pertinent to Mississippi’s fisheries. For more information, contact Read Hendon, GCRL fisheries biologist, at 228.872.4202. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 11/24/08)

VT Halter launches barge

MOSS POINT, Miss. - VT Halter Marine christened and launched a $14.7 million, 80,000-barrel oil tank barge for Barges Unlimited Friday after 14 months of work on the vessel. The double-hulled barge is 332 feet long and was constructed entirely at the Moss Point yard, which employs about 175 workers. (Source: Mississippi Press, 11/22/08)

Winter still unhappy with LPD 17

WASHINGTON - Navy Secretary Donald Winter is still unhappy with the USS San Antonio, the first in a new class of LPD 17 amphibious ships. But builder Northrop Grumman says the Navy changed the design too often, and Hurricane Katrina also affected work at the Gulf Coast shipyard where it was built. (Source: Reuters, 11/18/08)

Marine scientist gets USM award

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Dr. Robin Overstreet, marine parasitologist at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and professor in the Department of Coastal Sciences, received The University of Southern Mississippi's Innovation Lifetime Achievement Award. Overstreet is recognized as a world authority on fish parasites and disease, and is credited with the discovery of hundreds of new species. He joined GCRL in 1969. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 11/17/08)

LCS to use Army FCS weapon

The Navy is borrowing a page from the Army's Future Combat Systems playbook, integrating four Non-Line of Sight Launch Systems on the deck of its Littoral Combat Ship. In August off the coast of the Florida Panhandle, tests were conducted to prove NLOS-LS effectiveness. The next test is scheduled for 2009 and will evaluate capabilities in a different water environment. (Source: Aviation Week, 11/14/08)

Contract: Austal, $185M

Austal USA of Mobile Ala., is being awarded a $185 million modification to a previously awarded contract for one Joint High Speed Vessel with options for up to nine additional ships and associated shore-based spares for the Phase II down-select of the JHSV Program - a potential value of $1.6 billion. The JHSV program provides high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. Work will be performed in Mobile and is expected to be completed by November 2010. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: Tcp, DoD, 11/13/08)

Austal USA wins $1.6B contract

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA has won a $1.6 billion contract to build up to 10 high-speed transport ships for the military, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby said Wednesday. Neither Austal nor the U.S. Navy would confirm Wednesday's announcement. The award would be significant for Austal, which has about 1,000 employees at its facility on the Mobile River. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/13/08)

Taylor expects 10 warships in budget

GAUTIER, Miss. - The next congressional budget will likely seek 10 new Navy ships, according to Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss. Taylor, who was re-elected this year, made the comment after the ninth annual Veterans Breakfast at Gautier High School on Monday. Taylor expects to remain on the Armed Services Committee and chair the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee. (Source: Mississippi Press, 11/12/08)

First LCS commissioned

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. - USS Freedom, the nation's first littoral combat ship (LCS), was commissioned Saturday. The 378-foot ship is a semi-planing steel monohull designed for close-to-shore work. It can reach speeds over 40 knots and is intended for mine, anti-submarine and surface warfare. The ship, which will be homeported in San Diego, Calif., was built by Lockheed Martin with team members Gibbs & Cox, Marinette Marine Corp., and Bollinger Shipyards. (Source: PRNewswire, 11/08/08)

Northrop holds career day

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - About 1,000 Jackson County high school students learned about some of the 2,715 job titles involved in building ships. Resurrection, Pascagoula, Gautier, St. Martin and East Central high schools were represented. The career day was held in the new 46,000-square-foot Propulsion Building. (Source: Mississippi Press, 11/08/08)

VT Halter signs $8.9M contract

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - VT Halter Marine has signed an $8.9 million contract with Candies Shipbuilders LLC to construct a 285-foot platform supply vessel. VT Halter Marine will fabricate the vessel hull with deckhouses. The hull will be towed to Candies Louisiana shipyard for final outfitting. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for January 2010. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/06/08)

Navy to commission first LCS

The Navy's first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom, will be commissioned Nov. 8 at a 10 a.m. EST ceremony at Veterans Park, Milwaukee, Wis. Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter will deliver the principal address. A Northrop Grumman Fire Scout helicopter drone is on the ship and will remain onboard as it transits from Milwaukee to Norfolk, Va. Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss. (Source: Navy, Northrop Grumman, 11/05/08)

Austal eyes more ships

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA's Mobile shipyard will likely build at least two additional shallow-water combat ships for the U.S. Navy. Austal is part of a General Dynamics Corp.-led team competing with Lockheed Martin Corp. to build littoral combat ships. Both teams have built prototypes. The Navy has asked that each submit bids on five LCS with the intention of giving three to the winning contractor and two to the rival team. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/05/08)

ST Engineering 3Q report

Singapore Technologies Engineering said Tuesday that third quarter profit rose 3 percent, though earnings in the aerospace division fell. The company owns Mississippi's VT Halter Marine, whose 1,700 workers in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa build and repair ships. It also owns ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering, whose 1,600 employees at Mobile's Brookley Field Industrial Complex repair and modify jetliners. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/05/08)

Bender family to sell Florida yard

MOBILE, Ala. - Members of Mobile's Bender family have agreed to sell Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Co. to Galliano, La.-based Edison Chouest Offshore for undisclosed terms. The deal is subject to approval of the Tampa Port Authority, which must approve a lease transfer. The Florida shipyard covers 62 acres. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/04/08)