The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.

The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.

The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.

The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.

The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.

The US Navy (USN) plans to change shipbuilder for its new Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship (T-ATS) after Gulf Island Shipyards has completed the first five of the eight planned vessels.

The Navajo class will replace three Powhatan-class (USNS Apache is pictured) and two Safeguard-class ships now coming to the end of their lives. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Instead of exercising the final three ship options with the Houma, Louisiana yard, which was acquired by Bollinger Shipyards in April, the service is instead pursuing a sole-source award with Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Established as a specialist in aluminium shipbuilding, Austal was not one of the five original bidders for the T-ATS contract but is now in the process of building up a steel shipbuilding capability at its Mobile shipyard.