Final ship bids submitted

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA and rival Lockheed Martin have submitted final offers to build 10 littoral combat ships for the Navy. The contract could be worth $5 billion and would require Austal to hire 2,000 more workers at its Mobile River shipyard, which currently employs about 1,500. The Navy is expected to choose a shipbuilder next month, Austal officials said in a news release. Both competitors have built one ship so far. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/12/10)