The US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - head-on view
The US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - aerial view

vessels - coastal combat ships

The US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a new generation high-speed warship designed to carry out a range of operations including mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and the prosecution of surface attack craft in the near-shore environment.

Austal is the vessel designer and builder for the General Dynamics team which is one of two consortiums selected for the final design phase of the US Navy's LCS project. The contracts include options to complete detail design and construction of a lead ship of this new high-speed surface ship class.

The platform chosen by the team is Austal's fast trimaran design which provides enhanced seakeeping, low resistance and large carrying capacity.

Austal expects that it may begin constructing its first vessel in late 2005 or early 2006. Orders for the next series of operational ships are expected to be placed while the initial vessels are being evaluated.

DescriptionPertinent information

Austal is the world's leading designer and builder of high performance aluminium vessels from 15 to more than 125 metres in length.

In addition to a broad range of commercial vessels its product range includes patrol boats, high speed military support vessels and coastal combat ships.

It builds monohulls, catamarans and trimarans.

Austal's customers include:

  • Royal Australian Navy
  • United States Marine Corps
  • United States Navy
  • Australian Customs Service
  • New South Wales Police
  • Kuwait Ministry of Interior
  • Yemen Ministry of Defence

Status

Company

Austal already has a significant record of achievement in the defence market having:

  • completed numerous significant patrol boat contracts,
  • delivered a high speed Theatre Support Vessel for the US Marine Corps
  • being the platform designer and builder for the General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) team.
 Team Australia - Austal