BMT wins T-AGOS(X) industry studies contract

BMT announced on 16 September that it has been awarded an industry study contract from the USN to advance the design of the next generation T-AGOS(X) auxiliary ocean surveillance ship.

Philly Shipyard will work alongside prime contractor BMT in this effort.

‘This vessel class and the operational capability it contains form an important element of our nation’s maritime strategy,” said Kai Skvarla, president of the US defence business of BMT. He added that the project is ‘an exciting engineering and design opportunity’.

Industry studies will address technical solutions and design trade-offs, provide recommendations to improve producibility and affordability, and include technical reviews of the USN’s evolving ship design.

Following the industry studies effort, a separate detail design and construction contract for the T-AGOS(X) lead ship is planned for FY2022, with ship delivery scheduled for FY2025.

Replacements are needed for existing T-AGOS vessels (USNS Able - pictured, USNS Effective, USNS Impeccable, USNS Loyal and USNS Victorious) as they near the end of their service life.

BMT noted: ‘T-AGOS capabilities emphasize gathering and processing of undersea acoustic data, which is crucial to tracking submarines. The unique SWATH (small waterplane area twin-hull) hull form offers high stability at slow speeds and in adverse weather conditions.’

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