US Navy Build Programs Face Budget Pressure
Ship construction programs move ahead, but it’s not smooth sailing. Navies and Coast Guards everywhere face budgetary pressure, even in the U.S. which has the largest Navy in the world. The balance between desire for capacity and capability and pressure for affordability has never been more acute with the precarious budgetary issues presented by declining defense budgets, sequestration, continuing resolutions and government shutdowns. Even so, there are ongoing major construction efforts to include large nuclear aircraft carriers and submarines…
Ingalls Reports Third Quarter Results
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), a company that designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe, reported third quarter 2013 revenues of $1.64 billion, up 2.6% from the same period last year. Third quarter diluted earnings per share was $1.36, compared to $0.26 in the same period of 2012. Segment operating income in the third quarter was $142 million, compared to $89 million in the same period last year.
GD Bath Iron Works Awarded Zumwalt-class Modules Contract
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $212-million contract for design and construction of a steel deckhouse and hangar and construction of aft Peripheral Vertical Launching System (PVLS) modules for integration into 'Lyndon B Johnson' (DDG 1002), the third ship of the U.S. Navy's 'Zumwalt-class' of guided missile destroyers. The Zumwalt-class deckhouse includes the ship's bridge, radars, antennas and intake/exhaust systems in a structure with a significantly smaller radar cross-section than other ships in the modern Navy fleet.
Cascade to Build 120MW Power Barge
Cascade General was awarded the contract for construction of a 120MW power barge for MAN B&W Diesel AG of Augsberg, Germany. The floating diesel power station will be built for operation in Guatemala, and is a self-contained mobile power generation unit comprised of seven MAN B&W type 18V 48/60 diesel generators mounted on a deck barge which measures 279 x 204 x 11.8 ft. "This is a large - and in many ways significant - project, which shows Cascade General's ability to compete in the international market for newbuilds," said Cascade executive vice-president Suren Menon. The seven generating sets will be housed in an engine hall, which will be prefabricated at Cascade General. A steel deckhouse structure will accommodate control room, offices, workshops, supplies and electrical facilities.
