• Military Logistics

  Austal USA receives LCS 20 support contract

  30th January 2019

  Austal USA has received a $16.3 million contract to perform extended industrial post-delivery availability work on the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 20, the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy names LCS 34

  5th February 2019

  The US Navy will name its next Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 34, as USS Augusta. The vessel is being built by Austal USA at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aero India 2019: SeaGuardians to India a test of endurance

  22nd February 2019

  Like most government to government deals, they are enduring for all parties involved as requirements are honed in on and ironed out to meet the …

• Military Logistics

  Keel authenticated for US Navy’s 12th EPF

  1st February 2019

  Construction of the US Navy's 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel has begun at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, on 29 January.   EPFs …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders LCS 31

  18th January 2019

  The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) team has received a contract to build the 16th Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 31) for the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to commission LCS 13

  10th January 2019

  The US Navy is set to commission its new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 13, the future USS Wichita, at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab launches laser warning system in US

  17th January 2019

  Saab has launched its laser warning system solutions for land and naval applications in the US market, the company announced on 15 January. The Laser …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal to build two additional LCS

  21st December 2018

  Austal USA has received a contract from the US Navy to build two additional Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the company announced on 18 September. The …

• Land Warfare

  Insight: US continues to court Turkey over air defence

  4th January 2019

  Turkey kicks off 2019 facing a geopolitically defining issue with the choice between two air defence systems, one from Russia and one from the USA. …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Tulsa arrives for commissioning

  28th November 2018

  The future (LCS) USS Tulsa Littoral Combat Ship has arrived at Naval Base San Diego from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, ahead of …

• Naval Warfare

  PNG receives first Guardian-class patrol boat

  4th December 2018

  The Australian Department of Defence has handed over the first Guardian-class patrol boat, HMPNGS Ted Diro, to Papua New Guinea (PNG) under Australia's Pacific Maritime …

• Defence Notes

  US defense chief quits as Trump pulls from Syria, Afghanistan

  21st December 2018

  US Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned Thursday, leading a chorus of protests at home and abroad after President Donald Trump ordered a complete troop pull-out …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy receives Burlington EPF

  20th November 2018

  The US Navy accepted delivery of its tenth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, Burlington, from Austal USA on 15 November 2018. The delivery of the …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy christens USNS Puerto Rico

  13th November 2018

  The US Navy christened its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF 11), on 10 November at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, …

• Military Logistics

  Saab receives order for ULCANS

  26th November 2018

  Saab has received a $66 million order to deliver its Ultra Lightweight Camouflage Net Systems (ULCANS) to the US Army, the company announced on 20 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) [USN]

  Programme background Timeline Austal USA is building all the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels to the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards for the use ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy LCU 1700 amphibious landing craft are being procured to replace the ageing LCU 1610 class, which has an average ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class (T-ATS) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) are replacing the ageing three remaining T-ATF 166 class tugboats and two remaining T-ARS 50 class ships with ...

• OPVs

  Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC 5 - 15) [USCG]

  Programme Background Timeline The Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programme began in 2014 when the Coast Guard awarded $64 million in design contracts to Eastern. Bolliger ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Explorer Class / T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance ...

• OPVs

  Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC 16 - 25) [USCG]

  Background The Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programme began in 2014 when the Coast Guard awarded $64 million in design contracts to Eastern. Bollinger and BIW ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  LXX Procurement/Buques Nodriza [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements In December 2024, the Spanish Navy released the "Armada 2050" plan, a strategic document that details the development and the long-term vision ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class - FFG(X) (11-20)

  Programme Background Timeline The FFG (X) programme was first announced with a Request for Information (RFI) released by the US Navy in July 2017 with ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Austrailian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) programme, previously known as the Next-Generation Logistic Support Ship (NGLS) programme, stems directly from the new operational concept of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Spearhead Class EPF

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) (formerly the Joint High-Speed Vessel – JHSV, redesignated in September 2015) can transport troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class

  The Navajo-class is the USN's new class of towing, salvage, and rescue ships to replace the current T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class ships. This ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 1700

  In 2018, Swiftships was awarded a contract for the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700, which will replace the 32 ageing LCU 1610 class. The contract contains ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Bethesda Class EMS

  The Bethesda-class Expeditionary Medical Ship is a dedicated medical vessel designed by Austal USA for the US Navy. Its design is based on the Spearhead Expeditionary Fast ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Explorer Class (T-AGOS)

  The T-AGOS or Explorer-class vessels are ocean surveillance vessels being built for the US Navy (USN) by Austal USA. They are designed to support the ...

• Military - USVs

  Overlord Uncrewed Surface Vessel

  The Overlord Uncrewed Surface Vessels (OUSV) are a fleet of US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) consisting of four vessels under a programme named ...

• OPVs

  Heritage Class

  The Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) is under construction for the USCG to bridge the capability gap between the National Security Cutter, which patrols the ...

• Military - USVs

  Surveyor

  Surveyor is a long-endurance, Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by Saildrone in the US. Surveyor is designed for military and commercial purposes. Its primary mission ...

• Patrol boats

  Cape Class

  The Cape-class patrol boat was contracted to Australian company Austal in 2011 as a replacement for the Australian Customs and Border Protection fleet of Bay-class ...

• OPVs

  Offshore Patrol 83

  Australian company Austal unveiled its proposed design for the Philippine Navy's OPV  requirement at Pacific 2019. The affordable steel hull design also features an aluminium ...

• Patrol boats

  Guardian Class

  The Guardian-class Pacific Patrol Boats are being manufactured under the Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement project by the Australian shipbuilding company Austal. The project is aimed ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (LMV-M)

  The Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel – Medium (LVM-M) is a medium landing craft design jointly developed by Birdon and Incat Crowther. The design has been selected ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Vantage 55

  The Vantage 55 is a Large Optionally-crewed Surface Vessel (LOSV) designed by Australian manufacturer Austal. It is designed as a modular vessel that can be ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60/Lethal Cape Class

  During the Indo-Pacific 2022, Austal unveiled the new OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) 60 design. Austal offers the platform in three different configurations: Patrol, Surveillance and ...