U.S. Navy awards $100 million materials contract for 10th T-AKE

U.S. Navy awards $100 million materials contract for 10th T-AKE    San Diego, Calif.-based shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a $100 million contract from the U.S. Navy to purchase long-lead materials for the construction of a 10th T-AKE cargo ship.
   The T-AKE is a dry cargo-ammunition ship that transfers cargo such as ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts and expendable supplies and materials to station ships and other naval forces at sea. The ships can each carry about 7,000 metric tons of dry cargo and ammunition and 23,500 barrels of marine diesel fuel.
   NASSCO is already under contract to construct nine T-AKE ships at its shipyard, and the Navy is expected to order a total of 11 of the vessels for Military Sealift Command service and three additional ships for its Maritime Prepositioning Force.
   A contract that funds construction of the 10th T-AKE ship is expected to be awarded by January with construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2009 for delivery to the Navy's Military Sealift Command in the first quarter of 2011.
   “With three ships now delivered to the Navy and four additional ships under construction, we are pleased to be selected to build another T-AKE,” said Frederick J. Harris, president of NASSCO. “This contract demonstrates the customer’s confidence in the NASSCO shipbuilding team and our ability to build and deliver a high-quality ship on schedule.”