
Austal USA has secured a contract modification from the US Department of Defense (DoD) under the previously awarded Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.
The latest order exercises option related to the LCS Class design services, material to support LCS Class design services, and the US Navy’s Integrated Data Product Model Environment (IDPME).
Overall, the modification will carry an additional value of around $44.4m for Austal.
As agreed, the company will provide LCS Class design services to all Independence-class LCS ships.
The scope of services can include programme management, retrofitting, change processing, software maintenance, engineering, and lifecycle efforts.
Additionally, Austal will maintain an IDPME to provide the US Navy with access to enterprise LCS data management.
Austal USA also secured a concept studies and preliminary design contract for the US Navy’s the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) programme.
The programme seeks to procure 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps in implementing Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept.
The first LAW is expected to be procured in fiscal year 2023.
The US Navy has approached a total of five companies for the concept designs. The detailed design and construction contract is expected to be awarded by the end of the third quarter of 2022.
Austal CEO Paddy Gregg said: “Austal USA is well placed to pursue this Light Amphibious Warship opportunity, with a proven capability to deliver multiple naval shipbuilding programmes and new steel manufacturing facilities now under construction.
“The Austal USA team will continue to develop their concept designs and ultimately provide a highly capable and cost effective LAW solution for the US Navy.”
Earlier this month, the US Navy selected Austal USA to deliver autonomous capability to the future USNS Apalachicola.