BATH, Maine, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Bath Iron Works has won a $3 million U.S. Navy contract to design the Joint High Speed Vessel.

"The U.S. Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), a $3 million contract to develop a preliminary design for the Joint High Speed Vessel -- JHSV -- Program. Work to be performed during the next six months by Bath Iron Works and its teammate Rolls-Royce includes the functional definition of the ship structure, systems and general arrangements of ship spaces," General Dynamics said in a statement earlier this month.

"The JHSV program is an effort between the U.S. Army and the Navy to acquire vessels for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment," the company said.

"The ship concept proposed by Bath Iron Works and Rolls-Royce is based on a Rolls-Royce design for a roll-on/roll-off passenger vessel. The steel mono-hull design features a combined diesel and gas turbine propulsion plant, water jets, self sustaining roll-on/roll-off and load-on/load-off capabilities, a large cargo area and a flight deck for helicopter operations," General Dynamics said.

Bath Iron Works President Dugan Shipway said, "We are extremely pleased that the Navy has selected the BIW/Rolls-Royce Team to further develop our JHSV concept. We have a strong relationship with the Rolls-Royce family that extends back to the very beginning of the DDG 51 program. This award allows us to bring the experience and success we have shared in the course of building 29 Aegis destroyers into this very important program."

"Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, is a leader in the design and construction of surface combatants for the United States Navy and is the lead designer and builder of the Arleigh Burke -- DDG 51 -- class of AEGIS destroyers. The company employs approximately 5,800 people," General Dynamics said.

Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, operates in four global markets -- civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and energy.