Austal USA has launched a new floating dry dock that will be used by the US Navy for its ship construction, maintenance, and repair activities.
AFDM 15 is being built as an auxiliary floating dry dock medium (AFDM), which will provides docking capability for the construction, maintenance and repair of various classes of ships such as Freedom-class and Independence-class littoral combat ships, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers, and Whidbey Island-class and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships.
Austal USA said it is the US Navy’s first AFDM to be built in more than 40 years.
AFDM 15 has a length of 694 feet (212 metres), a beam of 157 feet (47.9 metres), maximum draught of 54 feet (16 metres), a displacement of approximately 12,000 tons, and a working deck area of 90,800 square feet (8,440 square metres).
Austal said the AFDM will be capable of operating in benign threat environments and relocating to meet future fleet maintenance requirements.
Austal USA and Alabama Shipyard collaborated on the construction of the AFDM.
