Austal has begun construction of the US Navy’s eighth Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue (T-ATS) ship in Mobile, Alabama.
The development is part of a US Department of Defense contract signed in 2017 to produce a fleet replacing the navy’s Powhatan-class ocean tugs and Safeguard-class rescue vessels in service since the early 1980s.
The new Navajo ship, the USNS James Fairbanks (T-ATS 13), was named after a serviceman who served in the marines.
The soldier was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, during which he was awarded the Bronze Star and worked for the Seabees Naval Construction Battalion.
“It’s exciting to see another ship begin traveling down the steel production line which has been busy since we opened it just a little over two years ago,” Austal USA New Construction VP Dave Growden stated.
“I’m proud of how well our workforce is handling the diversity of work we have taken on since the steel line became active.”
American T-ATS Vessel
The US Navy’s Navajo T-ATS system is designed with the combined capabilities of its predecessors.
Alongside its standard naval fleet assistance functionality, the vessel will support open ocean intelligence, oil spill response, and humanitarian tasks.
Each Navajo platform measures 80 meters (263 feet) long, has an 18-meter (59-foot) beam, and can accommodate 65 people.
It is powered by twin Wartsila diesel engines with 6,300 horsepower each for a maximum speed of 15.1 knots (28 kilometers/17.4 miles per hour) and a range of 8,170 nautical miles (9,402 miles/15,130 kilometers).
