AUSTAL’S EIGHTH LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP COMPLETES ACCEPTANCE TRIALS FOR US NAVY

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT
19 MARCH, 2018

Austal (ASX:ASB) today announced the eighth Independence class Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Tulsa (LCS 16), has successfully completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the last significant milestone required by the US Navy prior to delivery of the vessel.

Austal, working with Navy and industry, ran comprehensive acceptance trials demonstrating the successful operation of the ship’s systems and equipment. LCS 16 will be the second Independence-variant LCS delivered by Austal into service for the Navy this year.

“Austal USA is now operating an assembly line that is rolling out the LCS with unmatched efficiency. This is the fifth Austal designed and built vessel and the third LCS to reach this milestone in the last 12 months” Austal CEO, David Singleton said.

“The investment we have made in our cutting-edge production process is not only a competitive advantage, but increasingly is demonstrating our capacity to reliably deliver some of the world’s most technologically advanced naval vessels” he said.

“Our production team in Alabama has been achieving impressive results by focusing on productivity and quality improvements.  LCS 16 has been delivered with nearly 14% less labour hours than LCS 12 which was delivered in September 2017” he said.

“The LCS has a significant economic footprint supporting tens of thousands of jobs through the contributions of more than 900 local suppliers in 41 states involved in the program,” Mr Singleton said.   

The LCS program at Austal USA is at a full rate of production with six ships currently under construction and a further two set to commence in the next year. Charleston (LCS 18) is preparing for trials. Final assembly is well underway on Cincinnati (LCS 20) and Kansas City (LCS 22). Modules for Oakland (LCS 24) and Mobile (LCS 26) are under construction in the module manufacturing facility.

Austal Media Contact:

Contact:       Gemma Whiting

Mobile:         +61 (0)408 982 726

Email:           gemma.whiting@austal.com

Website:        www.austal.com

About Austal

Austal is an Australian shipbuilder and global defence prime contractor designing, constructing and sustaining some of the world’s most advanced commercial and defence vessels.

Celebrating 30 years of success in 2018, Austal has contracted more than 300 vessels for over 100 commercial and defence operators in 54 countries, worldwide.

Austal is Australia’s largest defence exporter and only ASX-listed shipbuilder. Austal has industry-leading shipyards in Australia, the United States of America and Philippines and service centres worldwide.

Austal delivers iconic monohull, catamaran and trimaran commercial vessel platforms – including the world’s largest trimaran ferry and multiple defence programs such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) for the United States Navy. Austal has grown to become the world’s largest aluminium shipbuilder.