Austal has announced that its shipyards and service centres in Australia have been approved to bid for and provide support services, including ship repairs, maintenance and sustainment activity for US Navy (USN) and Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships.
With the Agreement of Boat Repair (ABR) now in place, Austal’s Australian operations may now bid to provide emergent repair services to deployed USN ships, including the Austal designed and constructed Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The ABR also allows Austal to bid for maintenance and repair of MSC ships deployed to the region, to include the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels.
Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said the approval from the USN demonstrates Austal’s global capability to provide OEM support to major naval fleets.
“With this approval, Austal can provide a range of vessel repairs, maintenance and in-service support to USN and MSC ships operating throughout South East Asia.
“As the designer and builder, no-one knows the Independence-class LCS or Spearhead-class EPF better than us, and we’re naturally very pleased and proud to now have the opportunity to provide local support for these vessels to the U.S. Navy, as opportunities arise,” Singleton said.
The approval from the USN allows Austal to bid for work on US naval vessels that may visit Australia (including Cairns in Queensland, Darwin in the NT or Fremantle (Henderson) in WA).
Austal has delivered ten Independence-class LCS to the USN since 2010 and continues to construct six vessels at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. A total of 19 Independence-class LCS have been contracted, along with 14 Spearhead class EPFs, 11 of which have been delivered.