Austal USA has been awarded a $432 million contract to build 10 of the U.S. Navy’s high-speed, versatile littoral combat ships (LCS) in Mobile.
The contract will more than double Austal’s Mobile work force to 3,800 and include a $140 million facility expansion. The deal further establishes Mobile as a growing shipbuilding center.
”This contract has firmly established Austal as an international defense shipbuilder … and also reflects the strength and capability of our USA operations and highly-skilled work force,” said Austal Chairman John Rothwell in a company statement.
Littoral (shoreline or coastal) combat ships are designed to patrol shorelines for submarines, mines and swarming small craft.
Expansion of Austal’s existing Mobile facility will take a year. Production is expected to begin in early 2012 with first delivery in 2015.
Australia-based Austal bills itself as the world’s largest builder of vehicle- and passenger-carrying fast ferries and has a focus on aluminum, high-speed ships and patrol boats for commercial and military customers.