Austal Limited is pleased to announce Austal USA has delivered the future USS Canberra (LCS30) to the United States Navy. The Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is the second LCS Austal USA has delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2021. Four more LCS are currently under construction at Austal USA, including the recently launched future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) and future USS Augusta (LCS 34). Modules are under construction on the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) and the future USS Pierre (LCS 38). Two Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels (EPF’s 13 and 14) are also under construction at the shipyard.
Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said,” “We were honoured to have Senator Marise Payne lay the keel for the future USS Canberra in March 2020, and now we’re very pleased to be delivering the completed vessel to the Navy, on time and on budget. Canberra is the 15th Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship that Austal USA has delivered to the US Navy, since 2010; an outstanding track record for a multi-billion-dollar program, comprising 19 ships in total. Add on the twelve Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels that Austal USA has also delivered, during roughly the same timeframe, and you get a clear picture that our Mobile, Alabama shipyard is an incredibly efficient, value-adding asset within the United States’ defence industrial base.”
In October 2021, Austal USA was awarded a contract for the detailed design and construction of two US Navy Towing, Salvage, and Rescue (T-ATS) ships, the first contract for Austal’s new steel construction facility. Austal has recently been awarded several post-delivery service-related contracts for the LCS program including Sustainment Execution Contracts (SEC) for both classes of LCS, on the east and west coasts of the United States, and a further contract to support LCS deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Further, Austal USA recently announced the company had completed the purchase of a lease on waterfront property to establish a permanent ship repair facility in the Port of San Diego – a 6-hectare site enabling ship repairs and maintenance on US Navy, US Coast Guard and Military Sealift Command ships.
Austal USA is an advanced ship manufacturer headquartered in Mobile, Alabama, with operations in San Diego, Seattle, and Singapore. Its headquarters and manufacturing facility are located on its state-of-the-art campus designed uniquely with moving assembly lines for module construction and guided by lean manufacturing principles. The company is under contract with the U.S. Navy to build the advanced small surface combatant Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship and the auxiliary ship Expeditionary Fast Transport. With excellence awards in five consecutive years, Austal USA continues to be one of the safest shipyards in America and was ranked by Forbes as the 49th best midsize employer in the U.S.
