US Navy orders more Independence-class ships
Austal has received construction contracts from the US Navy to build two additional Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the company announced on 18 September.
These ships will be the sixteenth and seventeenth ships in the class. The value of each contract is under the congressional cost cap of $584 million per ship.
The 127m, frigate-sized vessel was originally designed in the Austal centre for excellence in maritime design, based in Henderson, Western Australia. The vessel design has been transferred to Austal USA and they are built at Austal's Mobile, Alabama shipyard.
Construction of LCS 32 is scheduled to begin in 2019, with delivery of LCS 34 expected to occur in mid-fiscal year 2023.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD]()
Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD
The landing platform dock, believed to be the largest naval vessel that China has exported, will see the Chinese-built vessel embrace Western technology.
-
![GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns]()
GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) believes the US industrial base will struggle to meet US Navy (USN) requirements. This follows recent warnings from USN heads of a decline in resources and that the industrial base is under strain.
-
![Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships]()
Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships
Lockheed Martin has won contracts and contract modifications on systems and platforms ranging from missile systems and naval helicopters to Littoral Combat Ships.
