Austal USA Engineering team recognized by Mobile Area Council of Engineers
Mobile, Ala. – Austal USA’s engineering team was recognized last night, with two well-earned awards, by the Mobile Area Council of Engineers (MACE) at MACE’s annual banquet. Austal USA’s engineers were honored with the MACE Engineering Project of the Year award for their team effort on design upgrades developed on the future USNS Cody (EPF 14) for the for the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport program and Austal USA Structural Engineering Lead, Charlene Matthews, was recognized as MACE’s Marine Engineer/Architect of the Year. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with over 27 years of engineering experience, Ms. Matthews has provided her engineering expertise to Austal USA’s highly successful Littoral Combat Ship program and is currently overseeing the structural engineering effort for the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) contract award – the first ships planned for the company’s newly constructed steel production facility.
MACE’s mission is to bring recognition to practicing engineers for outstanding service to the engineering profession, to publicize the many benefits that the engineering profession provides to the Mobile Area, and to encourage the pursuit of a professional engineering career to future engineers. Austal USA’s engineering professionals have been honored by MACE with five individual awards, two team awards, and two service awards over the past decade.
“On behalf of Austal USA’s leadership team, I am beyond proud of this highly talented group of men and women who have gone above and beyond to provide Austal USA’s clients with superior ship designs and engineering support over the last two decades, and I am excited to see our engineering professionals, like Charlene, being recognized for their individual talent,” said Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh. “Austal USA has been recognized for achievements in safety, community service, manufacturing, and now engineering this year, a result of the amazing teamwork atmosphere exhibited throughout our company. Austal USA is grateful for all of the community support we receive that has contributed to our success.”
Building on the tremendous utility of the EPF platform, EPF Flight II design upgrades provide a Role 2E medical capability (resuscitation and surgery provided by small, mobile, forward-positioned medical treatment facilities and surgical teams). Enhanced capabilities to support V-22 flight operations and launch and recover 11-meter rigid inflatable boats (RIB) complement the ship’s medical facilities. These Flight II upgrades along with EPF’s speed, maneuverability, and shallow water access are key enablers for mission support of future Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations around the world.
