AUSTAL'S LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP CHARLESTON (LCS18) COMPLETES ACCEPTANCE TRIALS FOR THE U.S. NAVY

AUSTAL (ASX: ASB) today celebrated its ninth Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) which completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The Charleston will be the third LCS Austal has delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2018.

The completion of acceptance trials is the last major milestone required by the U.S. Navy before the ship is delivered and commissioned into service. The trial involves the execution of intensive and comprehensive tests by the Austal-led industry team to demonstrate to the Navy the successful operation of the ship’s major systems and equipment.

“Austal USA delivered LCS 14 to the Navy at the end of February, LCS 16 at the end of April and will deliver Charleston in the next couple of months.  Moving these ships out to the fleet in such rapid succession is a huge accomplishment for our Mobile team and a testament to the supply chain supporting the LCS Program” CEO David Singleton said.

“Of the eight Independence-variants LCS Austal has delivered, six are currently homeported at the San Diego Navy Base.  These ships are being increasingly utilized by the Navy in operations and the feedback on their versatility and capability is a fantastic endorsement of our unique Austal design” he said.

“There’s no doubt these small surface combatants are and will continue to make a major difference in the US global force structure as the Navy continues to grow to a 355 ship fleet” he said.

The LCS program is at a full rate production with several ships currently under construction. Cincinnati (LCS 20) is preparing for sea trials. Final assembly is well underway on Kansas City (LCS 22) and Oakland (LCS 24). Modules for Mobile (LCS 26) and Savannah (LCS 28) are under construction in the module manufacturing facility and Canberra (LCS 30) is in pre-production.

Littoral Combat Ship Charleston (LCS18) during launch at Austal USA's Mobile, Alabama shipyard in Sept 2017. LCS16 (Tulsa) alongside. (Image: Austal)

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Austal Media Contact:

Contact:             Gemma Whiting - Government Relations

Mobile:              +61 (0)408 982 727

Email:                gemma.whiting@austal.com

Website:            www.austal.com