Navy Awards Bath Iron
$224-Million Contract
For Five Missile Frigates
Congoleum Corporation an-
nounced that the U.S. Navy has
awarded a $224-million contract
to its shipbuilding subsidiary,
Bath Iron Works Corporation
(BIW), Bath, Maine, for the con-
struction of five Guided Missile
Frigates of the new FFG-7 class.
The contract has incentive fea-
tures as well as provisions for
escalation of labor, materials,
and overhead. BIW designed and
is building the lead ship of this
new class of destroyer-type ves-
sel under contracts awarded in
1972 and 1973, and is procuring
long-lead-time materials for other
ships of the class under a 1975
contract amendment.
According to Eddy G. Nichol-
son, Congoleum's executive vice
president with primary corporate
responsibility for BIW: "The new
contract is not only the largest
ever awarded to BIW, but it also
provides the shipyard with its
highest quality backlog in dec-
ades. The award increases BIW's
current backlog to $359,000,000,
of which only $36,000,000 relates
to a long-term fixed-price con-
tract. Therefore, shipyard results
in coming years should not be
materially affected by inflation,
a factor which has had a sub-
stantial effect on contract per-
formance during the past several
years."
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The Navy contemplates build-
ing a fleet of 50 or more of this
new class of ship, named in honor
of Commodore Oliver Hazard
Perry. Deliveries will extend into
1986 at an estimated final cost
of $8.6 billion for 50 ships. The
new BIW contract calls for de-
liveries in 1980 and 1981.
Contracts for additional ships
of the FFG class are expected to
be awarded as the ships are au-
thorized by Congress. To date,
construction of 10 FFGs has been
authorized for the U.S. Navy,
with additional authorization
planned at the rate of eight ships
per year. Several foreign coun-
tries are also interested in adding
FFGs to their fleets.
Commenting on the possibili-
ties of additional awards, Mr.
Nicholson stated: "We are opti-
mistic as to our long-term par-
ticipation in the FFG program,
which will further increase the
amount of BIW's inflation-pro-
tected backlog."
The frigates will be 445 feet
long and displace just under 3,600
tons. They are to be fitted with
gas-turbine propulsion and the
very latest weapons and electron-
ics systems. The mission of the
FFG is to ensure that the United
States merchant and Navy forces
can maintain control of the sea
lines vital to U.S. commerce.
According to Mr. Nicholson,
BIW has undertaken extensive
facility modernization in recent
years, and has just acquired a
9,000-ton-capacity floating dry-
dock to broaden the range of
work that can be performed to
include virtually all facets of
ship construction, overhaul and
modernization. "Acquisition of
the drydock is well-timed to co-
ordinate with renewed emphasis
on overhaul and modernization of
existing ships in the U.S. fleet
and growing reliance on private
shipyards for this work," he said.
In addition to its participation
in the Guided Missile Frigate
Program, BIW is currently con-
structing four roll-on/roll-off mer-
chant ships for the States Steam-
ship Company of San Francisco,
has undertaken extensive over-
haul of the USS Biddle, a guided
missile cruiser, and has a con-
tract with Matson Navigation
Company for the construction of
one containership, with an option
clause for a second ship.
Adams & Porter Appoint
Marshall Crawford VP
Marshall Crawford has been
appointed vice president of Adams
& Porter Associates, Inc., 1819
St. James Place, Houston, Texas
77027, an international marine
insurance brokerage firm. The
announcement was made by Clyde
W. Hanks, president.
Mr. Crawford, a 1956 graduate
of Rice University, who has 20
years' experience in the insur-
ance business, will have the re-
sponsibility of expanding the
property, liability and bonding
departments of the firm.
28 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
Send for illustrated catalog and equipment list. LORAIN ENCODER PUTS CALL THROUGH
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