Austal awarded $204 million to build 2nd and 3rd JHSV's

Announced the day after the Huakai is used for the first time...by the military. Is that $204 million for both or for each? Or for both just to get 'em started? Either way quite a bit different price from the 1st one...

CONTRACTS
NAVY
Austal USA, Mobile Ala., is being awarded a $204,238,728 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2217) to exercise options for Ships 2 and 3 of the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program. The JHSV will provide high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies, and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to be completed by July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

From: http://blog.al.com/live/2010/01/austal_awarded_204_million_to.html

"Austal awarded $204 million to build second, third Joint High Speed Vessel"
By Kaija Wilkinson January 28, 2010, 4:22PM

MOBILE, Ala. -- The U.S. Navy has awarded $204.2 million to Mobile's Austal USA shipyard for the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program, part of a potential 10-vessel, $1.6 billion contract Austal landed in November 2008, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, announced today.

The funding will allow for construction of the second and third vessels, high-speed transport ferries that will be used by both the U.S. Army and Navy, according to Shelby's office.

Austal began work on the first JHSV in December...

(For a complete report, read Friday's Press-Register.)