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

vessels - littoral 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 (littoral) environment.

Austal is the vessel designer and builder for the General Dynamics Team which is one of two consortiums selected by the US Navy.

The platform chosen by the team is Austal's fast trimaran design which provides enhanced seakeeping, low resistance, superior aviation facilities and large payload carrying capacity.
Austal is currently constructing two Littiral Combat Ships for the United States Navy at its shipard in Mobile, Alabama, USA.


DescriptionPertinent information

Austal is the world's leading designer and builder of high performance aluminium vessels from 15 to more than 127 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.

Austal 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
  • Trinidad and Tobago Coastguard
  • Armed Forces of Malta
  • Queensland Police Service
  • Bermuda Police

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