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U.S. Navy Funds Additional Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship from Austal

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
U.S. Navy Funds Additional Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship from Austal
 
Austal Limited (Austal) is pleased to announce construction of one additional Littoral Combat Ship has been funded by the U.S. Navy. LCS 26 will be the eleventh Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships built by Austal as prime contractor, with the U.S. Navy exercising an option in addition to Austal’s existing 10-vessel block- buy contract. Funding for LCS 26 has been confirmed by the US Navy as not to exceed the congressional cost cap of US$564 million increasing Austal’s order book to approximately A$3 billion.
     
Austal Limited (Austal) is pleased to announce construction of one additional Littoral Combat Ship has been funded by the U.S. Navy. LCS 26 will be the eleventh Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships built by Austal as prime contractor, with the U.S. Navy exercising an option in addition to Austal’s existing 10-vessel block- buy contract. Funding for LCS 26 has been confirmed by the US Navy as not to exceed the congressional cost cap of US$564 million increasing Austal’s order book to approximately A$3 billion.
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) conducting full power propulsion and maneuvering tests in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. (file U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel M. Young/Released)
     
Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said: “It is pleasing to see the Navy’s ongoing confidence in Austal’s ability to produce these high quality vessels.

“We are working hard to increase production efficiencies and reduce costs as the program matures and look forward to constructing the newly funded ship, which secures work at our US shipyard through to CY2021.”

Austal has seven LCS at various stages of construction at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, under a 10 vessel, US$3.5 billion contract the U.S. Navy awarded to Austal in 2010. With the U.S. Navy also exercising its option to fund LCS 26, the total Independence-variant LCS constructed by Austal will be 13 ships; 2 as subcontractor (LCS 2 and LCS 4) and 11 as the prime contractor (LCS 6 onwards). Three LCS have been delivered.

Meanwhile, Austal is also progressing well under its $1.6 billion contract to construct ten 103-metre Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels for the U.S. Navy. Six EPF have been delivered, with the remaining vessels under construction at Austal’s US shipyard. Austal is also procuring long-lead materials for EPF 11 under an additional contract with the U.S. Navy.

Link to Independence class Littoral Combat Ship technical datasheet