Austal wins Navy's contract mod for LCS6 shock trials support

Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX:ASB) has been awarded a US$11,239,032 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification from the U.S. Navy to provide emergent availability planning and full ship shock trials (FSST) support for tests to be conducted on Littoral Combat Ship USS JACKSON (LCS 6), the shipbuilding company said Monday.

Specifically, Austal USA will plan for and conduct any “in-between shot” repairs required during the FSST event(s), repair any damage sustained during the FSST period and coordinate the removal of FSST testing equipment and instrumentation following completion of the trials.

The FFST comprise a series of tests designed to demonstrate the ship’s ability to withstand the effects of nearby underwater explosions and retain required capability. USS JACKSON has successfully completed the first of three trials and is performing as expected.

Austal delivered USS JACKSON (LCS 6) to the U.S. Navy on 11th August 2015 and last week delivered the future USS MONTGOMERY (LCS 8).

Six additional Independent-variant LCS remain under construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama as part of an 11-ship contract worth over US$3.5 billion from the U.S. Navy. The future USS GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (LCS 10), OMAHA (LCS 12) and MANCHESTER (LCS 14) are all preparing for sea trials. Assembly is well underway on TULSA (LCS 16) and CHARLESTON (LCS 18) while modules for CINCINNATI (LCS 20) are under construction in Austal’s industry-leading module manufacturing facility (MMF).

Austal is a global defence prime contractor and a designer and manufacturer of defence and commercial ships. For more than 27 years Austal has been a leader in the design, construction and maintenance of revolutionary ships for governments, navies and ferry operators around the world. More than 255 vessels have been delivered in that time.