page_title: Austal
section_title: Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
hierarchical_section_title: Austal / Products / Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
caption_attribution_description: English: The U.S. Navy littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) arrives at Mole Pier at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida (USA), on 29 March 2010. Independence was on the way to Norfolk, Virginia (USA), for commencement of initial testing and evaluation of the aluminum vessel before sailing to its homeport in San Diego, California (USA).
context_page_description: Austal is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries and specialist utility vessels such as offshore windfarm and crew transfer vessels.
  Austal has three major ship building facilities. Defence vessels are designed and constructed in Henderson, Western Australia and Mobile, Alabama. Commercial vessels are constructed in Balamban, Philippines. Vessel support is provided through service centres located in Darwin, Cairns and Henderson in Australia; San Diego, California; Balamban, Philippines and Muscat, Oman. Corporate headquarters are co-located at Austal's Australian ship building facility in Henderson.
  As of early 2017, Austal has designed and constructed over 260 vessels for numerous defence forces and commercial fleet operators. Customers include the Australian Border Force, Condor Ferries, Mols Linien of Denmark, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Navy of Oman, and United States Navy.
context_section_description: In October 2005, Austal / General Dynamics was awarded a contract to build the first unit from its design for a Littoral Combat Ship. The keel of USS Independence was laid down on 19 January 2006 at Austal USA's Mobile, Alabama shipyard, with the naming ceremony held on 4 October 2008. It is now operating with the fleet at its current location in Norfolk, Virginia.
  LCS-2 was the first ship built by Austal USA for the US Navy and the Navy's first trimaran Littoral Combat Ship. It is the first naval warship constructed in Mobile, Alabama since World War II. The basis of Austal's seaframe design was the 127-metre (417 ft) trimaran hull HSC Benchijigua Express.
  The second Austal/General Dynamics ship, LCS-4, was cancelled on 1 November 2007. 
  On 1 May 2009, the US Navy renewed the contract with Austal/General Dynamics to build the second LCS, USS Coronado, with delivery scheduled for May 2012.
  On 29 December 2010 the US Navy announced a new contract with Austal USA after Austal severed ties with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. New contracts for Littoral Combat Ships were awarded to both Austal USA and Lockheed Martin. The contract called for one ship to be built beginning in 2010 (USS Jackson), one to be built in 2011 (USS Montgomery), and two per year from 2012 to 2015. The LCS-6 contract was for US$432 million, with a goal of having the average ship cost US$352 million each. Another US$20 million was figured in for change orders, and a management reserve.
caption: USS Independence (LCS-2) at Naval Air Station Key West
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