US Navy funds Austal construction of new LCS
The US Navy has funded the construction of two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), LCS 22 and LCS 24, by Austal. The company announced the funding on 2 April.
The two vessels will be the ninth and tenth Independence-class LCS built by Austal. The company has a ten-vessel contract with the navy. The funding of the two ships adds around $691 million to its order book.
In addition to funding the construction of the two LCS under contract, the navy also included an option to construct the additional vessel LCS 26. This option may be exercised in 2016, and it would bring the total number of Independence-class LCS constructed by Austal to 13, 11 of which saw Austal act as prime contractor and two as a subcontractor.
Austal currently has seven LCS under various construction stages, including the USS Jackson (LCS 6), which has begun sea trials and is expected to be delivered by around mid-2015, and the USS Montgomery (LCS 8), which is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![BAE Systems to collaborate with Umoe Mandal on Type 26 frigate and Littoral Strike Craft]()
BAE Systems to collaborate with Umoe Mandal on Type 26 frigate and Littoral Strike Craft
The agreement is intended to boost opportunities for both UK and Norwegian naval shipbuilding.
-
![How the Force Design 2028 will impact US Coast Guard acquisitions]()
How the Force Design 2028 will impact US Coast Guard acquisitions
The FD 2028 strategy intends to reduce the bureaucracy in procurement processes while speeding up the field of assets.
-
![Thin-line towed arrays on uncrewed vessels deliver more cost-effective sonar, says SEA]()
Thin-line towed arrays on uncrewed vessels deliver more cost-effective sonar, says SEA
Miniaturisation of technology opens up radical sensing technologies to smaller navies under submarine threat, according to SEA sonar expert.
-
![£30 million UK-New Zealand deal sends new uncrewed vehicles to Ukraine]()
£30 million UK-New Zealand deal sends new uncrewed vehicles to Ukraine
Sam Vye, the CEO of SYOS Aerospace, which supplied the vehicles, explained the rapid development and deployment of assets in the uncrewed world.
-
![HII delivers first two Lionfish SUUVs to US Navy]()
HII delivers first two Lionfish SUUVs to US Navy
The SUUVs could be part of a programme that scales to 200 vehicles.
-
![HALO programme decommissioned by US Navy in favour of LRASM upgrades]()
HALO programme decommissioned by US Navy in favour of LRASM upgrades
The programme was due to be at full operational capability in the US Navy by 2031, but has been pulled over cost and timeline concerns.
