The U.S. Navy has awarded Austal USA a contract to provide engineering and management services support of the Post Shakedown Availability for the Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10).
The US$12 million cost-plus-award-fee order is seen as a boost to the company’s growing support business, which provides support to both the LCS and expeditionary fast transport (EPF) fleets, Austal said.
Under the contract, Austal will provide design, planning, and material support services for Gabrielle Giffords (LCS10), including program management, materials planning, engineering and design, material kitting, liaison and scheduling.
The U.S. division of the Australian shipbuilder is currently completing an 11-ship Independence-variant LCS contract for the U.S. Navy worth over US$3.5 billion. Four of the 127 meter ships are delivered and seven ships under construction at this time.
The future USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), USS Omaha (LCS 12) and USS Manchester (LCS 14) are undergoing sea trials. Austal said that final assembly was underway on the future USS Tulsa (LCS 16) and USS Charleston (LCS 18), whilst modules for the future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) are under construction in Austal’s advanced module manufacturing facility (MMF).