Commissioning for Newest Navy Destroyer USS Lawrence
The USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) will be commissioned June 4, 2011, at the Alabama State Port Authority Pier 2 Terminal in a ceremony co-hosted by the City of Pensacola and the City of Mobile. The commissioning was originally planned for NAS Pensacola as part of the celebration of the Centennial of Naval Aviation. Mobile offered to co-host the ceremony at the Port of Mobile after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the channel leading to the Pensacola base would not be dredged to an adequate depth in time for the commissioning. “The Navy is extremely selective about who can and should be approved to host such an event,” said Admiral Robert Kelly, USN (Ret), vice chairman of Armed Services for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Navy Names Austal’s Next Two Littoral Combat Ships
Austal hosted a visit by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus on Friday, March 25. He was joined by U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, Congressman Jo Bonner, Austal USA President and Chief Operating Officer, Joe Rella, and Mobile Mayor Sam Jones in formally announcing the names that he has selected for the first two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) of the recently awarded 10-ship contract to Austal. LCS 6 will be named USS Jackson and LCS 8 will be named USS Montgomery. Secretary Mabus announced the names during his meeting with approximately 600 Austal production employees…
Austal Opens New Shipbuilding Facility
Austal has officially opened its new Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF), equipping its U.S. shipyard with the ability to build up to three 328-ft-plus vessels each year. Phase One of the new $88m facility boasts 35,000m2 of manufacturing space under one roof, including a 7900m2 warehouse, as well as paved parking for more than 2000 vehicles. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of Phase One was held at Austal’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard. The event was attended by more than 300 dignitaries, including Alabama Governor Bob Riley, U.S.
Austal Opens New U.S. Shipbuilding Facility
On November 17, Mobile, Alabama-based Austal USA celebrated the grand opening of its new construction facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This event took place just 11 months to the day after breaking ground on the project on January 17, 2005. Several notable VIPs participated in the ceremony, including: State of Alabama Director of Development Neal Wade, Mobile County Commission President Mike Dean, Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, John Rothwell (Austal Ltd. Executive Chairman), Greg Metcalf (CEO, Austal USA), Tom Bender (CEO, Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc.) and Henry Seawell (CEO, Thompson Engineering, the company that was contracted for the design and construction of the expansion).
