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Vice Admiral Joseph Cahill visited Austal USA’s West Coast waterfront repair and services facility in National City, Calif., on October 13, 2026, as USS Oakland (LCS 24) underwent repairs in newly certified Dry Dock Independence. Austal USA said the Navy awarded the yard a $10.8 million contract in August for emergent maintenance drydocking availability of Oakland, which is the first ship to enter the dry dock.
Austal USA has won a $10.8 million Navy contract for emergent maintenance drydocking availability of USS Oakland (LCS 24). The work will be carried out at Austal USA’s newly certified floating dry dock at its San Diego waterfront ship repair facility.
Austal USA said its floating dry dock at its San Diego waterfront ship repair facility is fully certified and operational. The dock has a 9,000 light ton lifting capacity and is set up for small surface combatants and similar sized ships.
Austal USA has started construction on the future USCGC Ingham, its third U.S. Coast Guard Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter, at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard. The cutter is being built under a contract with options for up to 11 vessels and a current potential value of $3.3 billion.
Austal USA has delivered LCU 1710 to the U.S. Navy, the first LCU 1700-class vessel handed over to the service. The Mobile, Alabama yard said it was also the first steel ship it has delivered to the Navy. Before delivery, the vessel completed acceptance trials and INSURV validated construction quality and mission readiness. Austal USA said the ship also demonstrated it could get underway without tugs or pilots and confirmed its limited crew operating capability.
Austal USA launched the Navy’s Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium 15 on July 28, sending the 12,000-ton vessel into the Mobile River. The yard said it is the first AFDM built in more than 40 years and the largest vessel launched into the Mobile Channel to date.
Austal USA has received three 2025 safety awards from the Shipbuilders Council of America and American Equity Underwriters. The Mobile, Alabama yard said the recognitions bring its total number of safety-related awards to 32. It is among a select group of shipyards nationwide to be recognised by SCA in both safety categories.
Austal USA has added Michael Pruitt, Michael Oberdorf and Andrew Hinkebein to its senior leadership team. Pruitt will serve as vice president of surface ship programs, Oberdorf as vice president of submarine programs, and Hinkebein as director of state and local government relations.
Austal USA has named Gene Miller president, effective immediately, after a three-month search by its board of managers. He had been serving as interim president since February 16, 2026, after Michelle Kruger’s planned retirement. Miller joined Austal USA as chief operating officer in 2024. He previously held senior roles at Ingalls Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
Austal USA christened the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard on 2 May. The vessel is the second of three T-ATS ships under construction at the yard and the second ship in the class launched from the facility.
Austal USA welcomed almost 50 high school students into its apprenticeship pipeline at a Signing Day event in Mobile, Alabama, on 1 May. The students, from Mobile and Baldwin counties, committed to start careers in shipbuilding through the yard’s workforce development program.
Austal USA hosted Christopher Miller, its new Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Maritime, at its Mobile, Alabama, facility on Thursday. He was briefed on Navy surface ship and submarine module production, toured the yard and saw Billy Franks Jr. (T-ATS 11) and Lansing (EPF 16), both due for sea trials this summer.