Austal has secured funds from the U.S. Navy for the construction of two additional Littoral Combat Ships.
The vessels, LCS 22 and LCS 24, will be the ninth and tenth Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships built by Austal as prime contractor under its existing 10-vessel contract with the U.S. Navy. Funding for LCS 22 and LCS 24 adds approximately US$691 million to Austal’s order book, raising it to a total of A$3.1 billion.
Further to funding the two vessels under the existing contract, the U.S. Navy has also included an option for the construction of an additional Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 26, which can be exercised in CY2016. If the option is exercised, it would bring the total Independence-variant LCS constructed by Austal to 13 ships; 2 as subcontractor (LCS 2 and LCS 4) and 11 as the prime contractor (LCS 6 onwards).
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. This includes USS Jackson (LCS 6) – Austal’s first under the contract – which has begun sea trials with delivery around the middle of CY2015, and Montgomery (LCS 8), which is preparing for sea trials and delivery by the end of the year.
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Image: US Navy