Miles Jamison
Austal USA announced the launch of its first-ever steel ship, the future USNS Billy Frank Jr., on June 14.
What Is the USNS Billy Frank Jr.?
The Mobile, Alabama-based company said Wednesday the USNS Billy Frank Jr., with registry number T-ATS 11, is a Navy ship intended to support fleet operations by performing towing, salvaging, rescue, oil spill response, humanitarian assistance and search and surveillance missions. The company’s inaugural steel ship honors Billy Frank Jr., a native American veteran of the Korean War and activist who fought for justice and environmental preservation in the Northwest United States.
The multi-mission common hull platform will incorporate the capabilities of both the rescue and salvage ship T-ARS 50 and the fleet ocean tug T-ATF 166 platforms. The ship is also designed to integrate future capabilities, including modular payloads, hotel services and interfaces.
The T-ATS 11, along with two other ships, is being built at the company’s automated steel panel line. It will weigh 3,100 metric tons and be the heaviest ever produced by Austal USA. The ship will have 6,000 square feet of unobstructed deck space where stand-alone and interchangeable systems can be embarked.
The launch of the USNS Billy Frank Jr., which is currently 85 percent complete, followed a process consistent with most of the other 32 Navy ships previously delivered over the past 15 years. The next phase will involve engine light off, a key step before sea trials and delivery.
