AUSTAL USA NAMES CHRISTIAN ORLOWSKI VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING

October 6, 2023

Mobile, Ala. – Austal USA introduces Chris Orlowski as the company’s vice president of engineering.  In this role, he leads a team of over 350 engineers, naval architects, designers, and other engineering support staff. Orlowski directs the management of multiple engineering functions, including structural, mechanical, electrical and systems, integrated logistics support, naval architecture, and program engineering.

“I am very excited that Chris has joined Austal USA.  His depth of experience over the last 30 years in the defense industry will have an immediate impact.  He brings a combination of engineering and program leadership experience that provides him with a strong appreciation for all aspects of ship design,” said Austal USA Acting President, Michelle Kruger. “We are fortunate to have Chris on our senior leadership team.” 

Orlowski has over 30 years of program and systems engineering leadership experience within the defense industry. He came to Austal USA from Northrup Grumman’s CIO Office – Mission Systems – where he was the director of engineering and manufacturing systems and infrastructure. He led a team of 250 employees focused on designing, developing, and deploying engineering and manufacturing solutions to support and advance product development.  Orlowski was a member of the Northrup Grumman team for over 20 years holding various leadership positions in the company’s electronic systems, shipbuilding, technology services, enterprise services, and mission systems divisions. His engineering and program leadership experience has been in support of international and U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs to include aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, and littoral combat ships.  

Orlowski holds a PhD in systems engineering from George Washington University. He received a master’s in systems engineering and a bachelor’s in ocean engineering from Virginia Tech.  He is a graduate of the Executive Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

About Austal USA

Austal USA is a ship manufacturer headquartered in Mobile, Ala., with service centers in San Diego and Singapore and a technology center in Charlottesville, Va. With the most modern steel panel line in the shipbuilding industry, Austal USA manufactures both aluminum and steel ships. Austal USA leverages a moving module production line and strict adherence to lean manufacturing principles to consistently deliver on-schedule and on-budget. Austal USA is under contract for several programs, including the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), and the U.S. Navy TAGOS-25 ocean surveillance ship, Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessel, Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue ship (T-ATS), Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS), Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM), and Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programs.  Austal USA also supports Navy unmanned vessel programs leveraging its advanced autonomous machinery control system. Austal USA’s service business provides global support to U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command and other customers. Austal USA’s San Diego Service Center includes a waterfront facility that has the capability to drydock small combatants and similar sized ships. Earning 23 safety excellence awards, Austal USA continues to be one of the safest shipyards in America.