TSAMTO, December 28. Austal Limited has announced the transfer by its Austal USA division to the US Navy Command of the Independence-class coastal zone warship, LCS-30 Canberra.
The transfer took place on December 23 at the Austal USA enterprise in Mobile (Alabama).
LCS-30 is the 15th Independence-class LCS ship built by Austal USA since 2010. The cutting ceremony of the first aluminum sheets for the construction of the Canberra took place on February 23, 2019, the laying of the keel – March 11, 2020, launching - April 2, 2021, baptism - June 5, 2021.
LCS-30 Canberra became the second Independence-class ship that Austal USA handed over to the US Navy Command in 2021. The transfer of LCS-28 "Savannah" took place in June 2021.
As reported by TSAMTO, the construction of LCS ships is carried out by two main contractors, Lockheed Martin and Austal USA, on alternative projects. The lead ship of the series, LCS-2 Independence, built by a consortium that includes Austal USA, was adopted by the US Navy on January 16, 2010.
Earlier, Austal USA transferred 14 ships of the coastal zone to the US Navy. The last one in June 2021 was delivered LCS-28 "Savannah". Now at the Austal USA enterprise in Mobile, several more ships of the series are in various stages of construction: LCS-32 "Santa Barbara", LCS-34 "Augusta", LCS-36 "Kingsville", LCS-36 "Pyrrhus".
As already reported, on July 29, 2021 at the naval base of the U.S. Navy San Diego, a ceremony was held for the decommissioning of the American fleet of the lead ship of the series – LCS-2 "Independence".
LCS is a new generation of surface warships of the US Navy, which are designed to perform a wide range of combat missions both on the high seas and in the coastal zone. Among the main functions of the ships are: patrolling, combating enemy surface ships and submarines, protecting the fleet from attack by small surface vessels, mine warfare, reconnaissance, support for the actions of special operations forces.
