Austal delivers another LCS newbuild to US Navy

Shipbuilder Austal USA has delivered the future USS Mobile (LCS 26), its 13th Independence-class littoral combat ship to the U.S. Navy, from the company’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The delivery came almost two months after the newbuild completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico.

Christened a year ago, LCS 26 became the 20th ship to be christened for the US Navy at the yard in five years.

The USS Mobile is the fourth ship delivered by Austal USA to the U.S. Navy in CY2020, following the delivery of USS Kansas City (LCS 22) in February, USS Oakland (LCS 24) in June and USNS Newport (EPF 12) in September.

The Independence-class LCS is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats, such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

The 127-metre high-speed trimaran hull warship integrates new technology and capability to support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littorals.

Four LCSs are presently under various stages of construction at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. Assembly continues on the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) and USS Canberra (LCS 30), while modules for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), USS Augusta (LCS 34) are under construction in the module manufacturing facility (MMF). The future USS Kingsville (LSC 36) USS Pierre (LCS 38) are under contract.

Austal USA is also under contract to build 14 expeditionary fast transport vessels (EPF) for the U.S. Navy, with 12 vessels delivered, an additional vessel under construction and one scheduled.