Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX:ASB) announced earlier today that Littoral Combat Ship 10 (LCS 10), the future USS Gabrielle Giffords, successfully completed U.S. Navy acceptance trials on November 18, 2016.
The trials, the last significant milestone before delivery, were undertaken in the Gulf of Mexico and involved comprehensive testing of the vessel’s major systems and equipment by the U.S. Navy.
“The LCS program continues to mature rapidly,” David Singleton, CEO of Austal, said. “The U.S. Navy’s acceptance of this LCS is yet another significant milestone achievement for Austal. This program’s continued success helps to prepare the Navy for a smooth transition to a future frigate.”
The next major milestone for this ship will be delivery, after which Austal will deliver a further eight Littoral Combat Ships from its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, under a U.S. Navy contract for 11 ships worth over US$3.5 billion. Of those, Omaha (LCS 12) and Manchester (LCS 14) are preparing for trials. Tulsa (LCS 16) will be christened and launched in early 2017. Final assembly is well underway on Charleston (LCS 18) and modules for Cincinnati (LCS 20) and Kansas City (LCS 22) are under construction in Austal’s module manufacturing facility.
Source: Austal