Austal USA has engaged Norwegian lighting manufacturer Glamox to provide comprehensive lighting solutions for the upcoming USNS James D. Fairbanks, part of the US Navy’s Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship fleet. This collaborative endeavor will see Glamox deliver a total of 914 LED lighting units, which include navigation lights, floodlights, explosion-proof fixtures, and various deck and interior lighting to enhance operational and living spaces—ranging from corridors and stairwells to crew quarters.
The scheduled delivery of the lighting units is set for spring 2026, with installation planned at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. This contract represents Glamox’s third involvement in providing lighting systems for Navajo-class vessels. The company has already supplied similar equipment for five other Navajo-class ships being constructed by Bollinger Houma Shipyards in Louisiana.
John O’Driscoll, general manager of Glamox in North America, expressed pride in contributing to this significant maritime project. He noted, “We are proud to be supplying lighting for this workhorse of the seas, which will enter service in 2028,” further emphasizing Glamox’s capabilities in marine defense lighting. The company’s experience ranges from supplying lights for inshore rescue boats to large aircraft carriers, indicating a wide-ranging expertise in supporting naval operations.
The Navajo-class program seeks to modernize the US Navy’s support vessel fleet by replacing outdated Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ships along with Powhatan-class ocean tugs. These new vessels will play critical roles in various missions, including towing, salvage operations, diving, oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide-area search and rescue efforts. A significant feature of the Navajo-class ships is a spacious working deck that spans approximately 6,000 square feet (557 square meters), designed to accommodate interchangeable equipment and mission-specific modules.
Beyond the Navajo-class contract, Glamox has previously supplied lighting for other US Navy projects collaborated with Austal USA. This includes contributions to the Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium and navigation lighting for the Landing Craft Utility 1700-class vessels.
The USNS James D. Fairbanks is projected to officially enter service by 2028, marking a pivotal step in the US Navy’s ongoing initiative to modernize and strengthen its fleet of support and auxiliary ships.
