USN awards Independence-class LCS logistics support contract
USS Independence pictured in the Pacific Ocean. (Photo: USN/Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)
Austal USA — which built the Independence-class LCS vessels — could maintain them at bases in the Asia-Pacific region until late 2026.
Austal USA is to provide ‘emergent repair and continuous maintenance’ for Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, under a new $72.51 million contract from the US Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center in Yokosuka and Singapore.
‘The contract will include a one 24-month base period beginning in January with three additional 12-month option periods,’ the DoD announced on 23 November.
‘Work will be primarily performed in Singapore, with a percentage that cannot be determined at this time in countries and ports within the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean,’ the DoD added.
If contract options are exercised, the total value of the contract will rise to $215.88 million and work will be completed by December 2026.
The USN has received 13 out of the 19 Independence-class LCS vessels on order, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![UK and US marines train to guard nuclear deterrent submarines]()
UK and US marines train to guard nuclear deterrent submarines
The Autumn round of Tartan Eagle training just concluded in Scotland.
-
![Saab and Singapore DSTA expand their understanding on undersea defence]()
Saab and Singapore DSTA expand their understanding on undersea defence
The organisations have broadened the remit of an existing MoU to help boost underwater defence innovation.
-
![Navigating change: How market trends are shaping the future of naval defence (analysis)]()
Navigating change: How market trends are shaping the future of naval defence (analysis)
As defence markets shift to meet new demands, the naval sector has found itself at the centre of a transformative wave, driven by geopolitical shifts, the need for rapid technological advancement, and a redefined approach to maritime power projection.
-
![Taiwan reinvigorates its asymmetrical approach to naval warfare]()
Taiwan reinvigorates its asymmetrical approach to naval warfare
The threat from China has prompted Taiwan’s naval forces to shift from traditional naval structures to a more balanced strategy blending asymmetric defences with conventional platforms.
-
![Norway invites four nations to talk partnerships over new frigates]()
Norway invites four nations to talk partnerships over new frigates
The US, the UK, France and Germany each have existing frigate programmes.
