New consortium to pursue JHSV program.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., has lead the formation of an international consortium of aluminum boatbuilders and designers to respond to a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition program for the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV).

The JHSV program is managed by the Naval Sea

Systems Command's PMS 325. It is a Navy-led acquisition of a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The JHSV program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow-draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The JHSV will be capable of reaching speeds of 35-45 knots and allow for the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or Special Forces, as well as equipment and sup plies.

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Initially, both the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy pursued separate programs to meet their requirements for intra-theater connectors. However, a decision was made to combine efforts, as collaboration between the Army and Navy would offer increased cost savings for both armed services. The JHSV program combines the Army's Theater Support Vessel (TSV) program with the Navy and Marine Corps High Speed Connector (HSC).

The Navy's Program Executive Office, Ships will conduct acquisition for both the Army and Navy, but each service will fund its own ships. After delivery, each service will be responsible for manning, maintaining, and providing full lifecycle support for their respective vessels.

A lead ship award is planned for FY2008.

The consortium led by Bollinger Shipyards, includes Australia's Incat Tasmania and Revolution Design, two Washington State shipyards Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Kvichak Marine, and Massachusetts-based shipyard Gladding-Hearn (Duclos Corp).

Bollinger execuitve vice president Chris Bollinger, said his company was "pleased to bring together the expertise of premier aluminum shipbuilders from the West Coast, East Coast and Gulf Coast along with the world leader in HSV design and construction, Incat Tasmania and Revolution Design."

Revolution Design is the design arm of Incat Tasmania.

Two prototype High Speed Vessels, 96m HSVX-1 Joint Venture and 98m HSV-2 Swift (see photo) have already been used by the U.S. DOD to support operations in the war on terrorism and during Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as in humanitarian operations, including Hurricane Katrina. The ships have been deployed to the Horn of Africa, Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia.