Port eyes shipping vehicles

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Alabama State Port Authority has identified a site for a $54 million automotive shipping terminal, according to the authority director and chief executive. Speaking to the Economic Development Association of Alabama's Summer 2014 Conference at Point Clear, across the bay in Baldwin County, Jimmy Lyons said that some of the vehicles produced in Alabama and surrounding states are bound for other countries, and the new terminal would allow for roll-on, roll-off operations. The terminal could be ready in a year or two. (Source: al.com, 07/30/14) The port has been used in the past to bring in vehicles from Mexico.

Ingalls-built LHA 6 delivers

USS AMERICA At Sea - The future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) sailed away from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., en route to her new San Diego homeport on July 11. But, unlike other ships making maiden voyages, America embarked Marine units to immediately begin amphibious operations. After only five days at sea, more than 40 Marines and Navy corpsmen – from Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force South - boarded two MV-22 Ospreys; and marking the first Expeditionary Strike Group 3 mission launched from America's flight deck. As the Ospreys touched down, the Marines and corpsmen sprang into action ready for joint maneuvers with Columbian marines at the International Center for Amphibious Training in Covenas, Colombia. U.S. forces were split into four information exchange groups: medical combat casualty, IEDs, hand-to-hand combat, and a small-arms live-fire weapons shoot. The IED exchange, which is “very significant” for Columbia, was an important station. The country has been at war with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), a terrorist organization, for 50 years. (Source: USS America 07/25/14)

LCS to test Norwegian missile

USS Coronado (LCS 4) will get a chance at an historic moment in September when it fires the first-ever surface-to-surface Norwegian missile from a Littoral Combat Ship in tests off southern California. Coronado, built in Mobile, Ala., by Austal USA, will test-launch the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) at the Naval Air Warfare Center's extensively-instrumented missile range. (Source: Navy Times 07/24/14)

NAVSEA praises HII, LCS

Vice Adm. William Hilarides, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, told an audience at a Navy League breakfast in Virginia that he was pleased with the quality of ships being built for the Navy. In his business “you have to have an infinite capacity for bad news,” but stressed there was plenty of good news in the defense shipbuilding arena. He was impressed with the new amphibious assault ship America, which was build at Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. It “was a real testament” to HII getting “quality right.” Also, the admiral remained bullish on the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) program noting that the first two production versions (LCS 5 and 6) are next to be commissioned and that will begin a rapid fielding of LCS. “I am a massive LCS fan,” he said, and “very happy with the quality.” There are two variants being built. Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence class; and a group from General Dynamics builds the Freedom class. The Navy eventually will select one type of combat system – surface, or mine countermeasures - for both classes. (Source: Sea Power 07/14/14).

NSC completes builders trials

PASCAGOULA, Miss. – Huntington Ingalls Industries announced today the successful completion of builder's sea trials for the company's fourth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter, Hamilton (WMSL 753). The ship, built by HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding, spent three full days at sea testing the ship's propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor handling, small boat operations and combat systems, culminating in a four-hour, full-power propulsion run. Ingalls has delivered the first three NSCs, and three more are currently under construction. A seventh NSC, Kimball (WMSL 756), is scheduled to begin construction in early 2015. (Source: Huntington Ingalls, 07/18/14)

Contract: Ingalls, $23.5M

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $23,499,948 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-2402) for early industry involvement associated with the LHA(R) Program Flight 1 (LHA 8) ship design to initiate an affordability design phase. The early industry involvement contracts were awarded to U.S. shipyards that have the facilities and resources to build a large deck amphibious assault ship without major re-capitalization. Work will be performed in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed by May 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation contract funds in the amount of $19,740,760 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/17/14)

LHA 6 heads to California

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Crowds gathered on both sides of the river to send off the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship Friday morning. America, LHA 6, set sail from Ingalls Shipbuilding at about 9:30 a.m. LHA 6, which can accommodate 1,059 crew and 1,687 Marines, is slated for a commissioning on Oct. 11 in San Francisco, Calif. It will be homeported in San Diego. The ship can carry a variety of aircraft, including 12 MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, nine F-35B joint strike fighters, four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, four CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters and two MH-60S search and rescue helicopters. (Source: Mississippi Press, 07/11/14)

Ingalls to start buying for 8th NSC

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded a $76.5 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for the eighth National Security Cutter (NSG), Midgett (WMSL 757). Construction and delivery of Midgett would take place at the company's Pascagoula facility. The funds will be used to purchase steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings. NSGs, the flagships of the Coast Guard's cutter fleet, are designed to replace the 378--foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters. Ingalls has delivered the first three NSGs. The fourth, Hamilton (WMSL 753), will have builder's sea trials later this summer. The fifth, James (WMSL 754), recently launched and will be christened in August, and the keel for the sixth NSC, Munro (WMSL 755), will be laid later this year. (Source: Ingalls, 06/30/14)