Austal

US Navy takes delivery of LCS Savannah

Vessels

Austal USA has delivered the future USS Savannah, its 14th Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) to the US Navy, from the company’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

Illustration; Austal
Photo: Austal

Achieving significant gains in production efficiency, the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) was completed by Austal USA in just under three years, a full twelve months earlier than previous ships delivered under the same program.

“Savannah is the seventh ship delivered by Austal USA to the US Navy in just 2 years, which is an incredible achievement,” Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer, commented.

The delivery comes after the newbuild completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico last month.

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The Independence-class LCS is a fast, agile, and focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments, yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats, such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

The 127-metre high-speed trimaran hull warship integrates new technology to support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littoral zone.

Five Independence-class LCS and two Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ships (EPF) are currently under construction at Austal USA; with two additional ships, LCS 38 and EPF 15 under contract and soon to commence construction.

Austal USA has recently been awarded a concept and preliminary design contract for the U.S. Navy’s light amphibious warship (LAW), which would be manufactured on Austal USA’s new steel production line. The shipyard has also been awarded a functional design contract to prepare for construction of the new steel hull Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS) for the U.S. Navy.