BATH - Bath Iron Works and two other defense contractors have been awarded $3 million contracts for preliminary design work after making the first cut in the competition to design and build a Joint High Speed Vessel, officials said.

Bollinger Shipyards Inc. in Louisiana and Austal USA in Alabama are competing with the Bath shipyard to build up to eight of the vessels for fast transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment, a Bath spokesman said.

The three contractors have six months to complete a preliminary design. Once that's done, the Navy will receive designs and construction proposals from the three teams.

The Navy intends to award a single detail design contract with construction options later this year. The first ship, an Army vessel, is intended to be delivered in 2011.