An advanced ship manufacturer recently announced today it has acquired a technology leader in developing and deploying non-destructive, portable probe devices that measure aluminum sensitization.
ElectraWatch, Inc., a privately-held company headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, was purchased by Mobile, Alabama-based Austal USA. The acquisition extends Austal USA’s ability to support the U.S. Navy fleet where nearly every ship includes aluminum structures.
“The combination of ElectraWatch patented technology along with Austal USA’s advanced ship manufacturing and sustainment expertise reinforces the company’s position as an industry leader to efficiently support the aggressive shipbuilding and sustainment requirements from our U.S. Navy customer,” said Craig Perciavalle, president of Austal USA. “As innovative technology reaches deeper into shipbuilding construction and sustainment, we remain laser focused at providing cost-effective solutions to our customers.”
Utilizing an electrochemical methodology, ElectraWatch engineers replicated laboratory testing measurements within a portable DoS Probe that yields a fast, accurate, measured result without removing test samples from a ship and sending to a laboratory. The company supports multiple shipbuilders, maintenance providers and the U.S. Navy across a broad range of military ships currently deployed in the U.S. fleet.
As both the designer and prime contractor, Austal USA manufactures the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) for the U.S. Navy. The company delivers two LCS and two EPF per year with the capacity to increase its manufacturing rate at its 166-acre facility and headquarters in Mobile. Eight LCS (even numbered LCS 2 through 16) and nine EPFs (T-EPF 1-9) have been delivered to date. Austal USA was also one of five prime contractors awarded a concept design contract for the U.S. Navy’s future guided missile Frigate (FFG(X)) while its EPF is also being considered to support permanent medical ship operations.
