General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Dynamics has reached an agreement with the U.S. Navy for options to build up to five additional T-AKE dry cargo ammunition ships. Contracts for the ships, valued at approximately $2.5 billion if all options are exercised, are expected to be awarded over the next four years. Including the nine ships previously under contract, this agreement means the San Diego shipyard would build a total
of 14 T-AKE ships for the Navy.
Since October 2001, NASSCO has received contracts to build nine T-AKE ships and delivered the first three ships of the class. The fourth T-AKE ship is scheduled to be delivered in November. Under the
new agreement, NASSCO would deliver the fourteenth ship in the fourth quarter of 2014.
NASSCO has incorporated international marine technologies and
commercial ship-design features into the T-AKE class, including an
integrated electric-drive propulsion system. The ships can deliver more
than 10,000 tons of food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions to combat
ships at sea. T-AKE ships are replacing single-mission ships that are
reaching the end of their service lives.
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