Austal USA Receives LCS Contract Modification For 'Sea Giraffe' Radar; USS Jackson (LCS 6) Successfully Completes Shock Trials

Austal Limited (ASX:ASB) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Navy has modified Austal USA’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) contract to enable the procurement of a spare “Sea Giraffe” radar for the Independence variant LCS program. The modification sees the LCS contract value increase by the fixed-price amount of US$6,801,290.

The Independence variant LCS program continues to impress, with the U.S. Navy reporting that USS Jackson (LCS 6) has successfully completed the first of three scheduled full ship shock trial (FSST) blasts; the first ship to do so since 2008. The shock trials are designed to demonstrate the ship’s ability to withstand the effects of nearby underwater explosions and retain required capability.

Independence variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Jackson (LCS 6) successfully completes the first of three scheduled full-ship shock trials. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Bevan/Released)

The future USS Montgomery (LCS 8) is scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Navy later this month, whilst six additional LCS vessels are at various stages of construction in Mobile, Alabama as part of an 11-ship contract worth over US$3.5 billion.

Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), Omaha (LCS 12) and Manchester (LCS 14) are all preparing for sea trials. Assembly is well underway on Tulsa (LCS 16) and Charleston (LCS 18), whilst modules for Cincinnati (LCS 20) are under construction in Austal USA’s advanced Module Manufacturing Facility (MMF).

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About Austal

Austal is a global defence prime contractor and a designer and manufacturer of defence and commercial ships. For more than 27 years Austal has been a leader in the design, construction and maintenance of revolutionary ships for governments, navies and ferry operators around the world. More than 255 vessels have been delivered in that time.

Ships

Defence vessels designed and built by Austal include multi-mission combatants, such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the United States Navy and military high speed vessels for transport and humanitarian relief, such as the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships for the

U.S. Navy and High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) for the Royal Navy of Oman. Austal also designs, constructs, integrates and maintains an extensive range of patrol and auxiliary vessels for government agencies globally, including the Cape Class Patrol Boat Program for Australian Border Force. Defence vessels are designed and constructed in Mobile, Alabama and in Henderson, Western Australia.

Austal has been at the forefront of the high speed ferry market since the early days of the industry. Our market leading designs of high performance aluminium vessels have long been at the heart of Austal’s research and development. Today, commercial ship construction is centred on our shipyard in Balamban, Philippines.

Systems

Austal has expertise in integrating complex systems into its ships, including ride control, ship management, and communication, sensors and weapon systems.