The US Navy has awarded Bollinger Shipyards (“Bollinger”), a privately held and leading designer and builder of military and commercial vessels, a contract to build four (4) additional Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessels (MCM USV).
This brings the total number of vessels under contract up to seven (7), with options for up to 18 more vessels.
“Bollinger is honored to be entrusted by the US Navy to continue building the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessel program,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “Our skilled workforce is second to none. We are proud to support and protect the men and women of the US Navy with state-of-the-art, multi-mission unmanned surface vessels that can operate in the most challenging conditions.”
Bollinger was first awarded the contract to build the MCM USV program in April 2022. The MCM USV is an autonomous vessel capable of supporting minesweeping, mine hunting, and mine neutralization missions. Naval mines present a significant threat to US naval operations and to US and allied shipping in coastal waters, continental shelf waters, port approaches, and straits. The MCM USV program is key to replacing capabilities currently being undertaken by soon to be retired MCM-1 class Mine Countermeasures Ships and MH-53E helicopters.
Bollinger will continue to build the MCM USV program at Bollinger Shipyards’ Lockport, Louisiana facility.
