JHSV will mean 500 jobs

MOBILE, Ala. - The second installment of a contract to build high speed vessels will mean 500 new jobs at Austal USA by the end of the summer. The Navy awarded Austal $204 million in what could eventually be a 10-vessel, $1.6 billion contract. The Joint High Speed Vessel is an Army-Navy program for shallow-draft ferries to carry troops and equipment in combat zones. Austal started work on JHSV 1 in December and plans to start No. 2 in the summer and No. 3 late this year. Austal has 1,000 workers in Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/29/10; previous post)