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$30-Million Navy Contract On Landing Craft Awarded To Bell Aerospace Textron A $30-million contract for long lead time materials for the next six landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) vessels has been awarded to Bell Aerospace Textron, Divi- sion of Textron, Inc., New Orleans. This new contract, announced by John J. Kelly, senior vice presi- dent and general manager of Bell Aerospace Textron, New Orleans Operations, and president of Bell Halter Inc., increases to 12 the number of LCAC craft to be pro- duced at the Bell Halter produc- tion facility. Bell received a $172- million contract for the first six LCACs in June 1981. Rollout of the first two LCACs is scheduled for 1984, with the third due in mid-1985. The LCAC program is being conducted at Bell Aerospace Tex- tron's New Orleans Operations, established in 1969 to concentrate on air cushion vehicle and surface effect ship design and construction. The LCAC is an amphibious air cushion vehicle that can travel at speeds up to 50 knots and can quickly transport troops, equip- ment, and weapons from support ships located over the horizon to dry ground beyond the beach. They are expected to replace the Navy's "It's the greatest thing to happen to our industry since water." — Local Tugboat Pilot Standard wire rope is stiffer and harder to work with. After years of in- novative designing and extensive research I & I Sling has developed a revolutionary wire rope that's over 3 times more flexible, which helps to reduce kinking, and costs less than standard galvanized wire rope. We call it Tri-Flex® wire rope. You'll call it the ideal wire rope for winch operation. With Tri-Flex® wire rope, your crew can stop strug- gling with heavy, stiff and bulky lines. In fact,Tri-Flex® wire rope is so flexible, splicing can be done by crew members aboard ship. (Instructions are in- cluded with each order.) And you can lower the expense of replacing frequently broken rope so often. I&I Sling's Tri-Flex® wire rope is causing a mutiny in the industry. Every pilot and crew member who has tried it has unanimously praised and reordered it when, finally, the time came to replace it. Don't miss the revolution. Give us a call and we'll send you testimonials from our many more-than-satisfied customers plus more information on Tri-Flex® It's the wire rope that'll sink the competition. With Tri-Flex wire rope, splicing can be done by crew members aboard ship. Free! Maritime Riggers Manual Just fill out this coupon and we'll send you a valuable, pocket-size manual you'll use time and again. Company City Business Phone 2626 Market Street, Dept. D Aston, PA 19014 215/485-8500 Call toll free: 1-800-TRI-FLEX Sling Company MR current fleet of landing craft, which are of World War II design, dra- matically improving the ship-to- shore capability of the Navy and Marine Corps. First Of Sulzer's New RTA Engine Series Powers Mitsubishi-Built Bulker The first example of Sulzer's new RTA superlongstroke diesel engine series went to sea recently, just about 22 months after the new fuel-efficient series was an- nounced to the shipping industry. The initial installation is a 7-cyl- inder 7RTA58 model powering the 80,000-dwt ore/bulk carrier Zara- goza, built for Wayland at the Na- gasaki shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. With a maximum continuous rating of 11,410 bhp at 105 rpm, it gives the ship a service speed of 13.9 knots. The race to be the first RTA en- gine to go to sea has been closely run. The second installation was in the reefer Atlantic Universal, which went on sea trials only two weeks after the Zaragoza. This ship, also built at the Nagasaki yard, is also powered by a 7RTA58 engine but at the higher rating of 13,440 bhp at 123 rpm to give the ship a service speed of 20.1 knots. Both 7RTA58 engines for these ships were built at Mitsubishi's Kobe engine works. The third RTA to go on sea trials was an IHI-built 5RTA58 for the Laeisz reefer/con- tainer vessel Puritan, building at IHI's Aioi yard. The fourth RTA, another 7RTA58 from Kobe, has been installed in the 14,000-dwt container/car carrier Rainbow Ace building at Mitsubishi's Kobe shipyard for Mitsui-OSK Lines. National Fluid Separations Appoints Bilge Master Sales Agent In Saudi Arabia The Intercontinental Group, A1 Khobar, Saudi Arabia, has been appointed sales agent for the BilgeMaster"' bilge pollution con- trol system in Saudi Arabia and nearby Arab states by National Fluid Separators, Inc., St. Louis. The BilgeMaster System is certi- fied to IMO standards and ap- proved by the U.S. Coast Guard. The announcement was made by W.W. Matthews, president of Na- tional Fluid Separators. Brochure Available On Shipboard Furniture Made By Comfort-Mate Miami-based Comfort-Mate, Inc. offers a line of deck chairs (lounges), sitting chairs, bar stools, tables, and other items designed and manufactured specifically for the marine environment, with quality standards much higher than normal outdoor furniture. Chairs and stools are made of commercial grade anodized alumi- num, stainless steel hardware, and 30 Write 730 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
