A U.S. Navy Shipbuilder has pleaded guilty as part of a case that involved the possible obstruction of a Defense Department audit. Austal USA LLC (Austal USA) is a shipbuilding company that has contractual obligations to the Defense Department. The company charges the U.S. Navy for the equipment and the ships that are the bulwark against sea-based threats and their winning of these contracts is meant to uphold the integrity and standards of a contractor with important naval security implications. The company, as part of an investigation by the Justice Department, has now agreed to pay $24 mill…