US Navy takes delivery of LCS Savannah

Austal USA has delivered the future USS Savannah, its 14th Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) to the US Navy, from the company’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

Achieving significant gains in production efficiency, the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) was completed by Austal USA in just under three years, a full twelve months earlier than previous ships delivered under the same program.

“Savannah is the seventh ship delivered by Austal USA to the US Navy in just 2 years, which is an incredible achievement,” Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer, commented.

The delivery comes after the newbuild completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico last month.

The Independence-class LCS is a fast, agile, and 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 to support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littoral zone.

Five Independence-class LCS and two Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ships (EPF) are currently under construction at Austal USA; with two additional ships, LCS 38 and EPF 15 under contract and soon to commence construction.

Austal USA has recently been awarded a concept and preliminary design contract for the U.S. Navy’s light amphibious warship (LAW), which would be manufactured on Austal USA’s new steel production line. The shipyard has also been awarded a functional design contract to prepare for construction of the new steel hull Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS) for the U.S. Navy.