A HIGH-SPEED trimaran built by Austal has joined the US Navy.And...

A HIGH-SPEED trimaran built by Austal has joined the US Navy.

And the West Australian shipbuilder expects a request by early next month for the next phase of the program.

Austal's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was commissioned as the USS Independence at a ceremony near Austal's facility near Mobile, Alabama, on Sunday.

Austal also said it expected to receive proposal requests from the US Navy early next month for the next phase of the LCS program, with the contract expected to be awarded by the end of the US 2010 fiscal year in September.

The US Navy has said it intends to award a contract for up to 10 LCS vessels, with two ships in fiscal 2010 and options through to 2014.

The US defence budget includes $US1.38 billion ($1.5 billion) to buy two vessels in 2010 and a cost cap of $US480 million for additional ships. The LCS fleet is expected eventually to reach 55.

The 127m USS Independence will serve as a fast and agile ship designed for operation in near-shore environments to defeat "asymmetric" threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

Austal USA also is building the first joint high-speed vessel, Fortitude.

Austal will build up to 10 of the 103m ships by 2013, some for the US Navy and some for the US Army.


http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/01/19/122681_todays-news.html