Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels.[5] Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.[6]
Austal has three major ship building facilities. Defence vessels are designed and constructed in Henderson, Western Australia and Mobile, Alabama, US. Commercial vessels are constructed in Balamban, Philippines. Vessel support is provided through service centres located in Darwin, Cairns and Henderson in Australia; San Diego, California, US; Balamban, Philippines and Muscat, Oman.[7] Corporate headquarters are co-located at Austal's Australian ship building facility in Henderson.[8]
In October 2005, Austal / General Dynamics was awarded a contract to build the first unit from its design for a Littoral Combat Ship. The keel of USSIndependence was laid down on 19 January 2006 at Austal USA's Mobile, Alabama shipyard, with the naming ceremony held in October 2008.[13] It is now operating with the fleet at its current location in Norfolk, Virginia.[timeframe?][14]
LCS-2 was the first ship built by Austal USA for the US Navy and the Navy's first trimaran Littoral Combat Ship. It is the first naval warship constructed in Mobile, Alabama since World War II. The basis of Austal's seaframe design was the 127-metre (417ft) trimaran hull HSCBenchijigua Express.
The second Austal/General Dynamics ship, LCS-4, was cancelled in November 2007.[15]
In May 2009, the US Navy renewed the contract with Austal/General Dynamics to build the second LCS, USSCoronado, with delivery scheduled for May 2012.[16]
In December 2010 the US Navy announced a new contract with Austal USA after Austal severed ties with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. New contracts for Littoral Combat Ships were awarded to both Austal USA and Lockheed Martin.[17] The contract called for one ship to be built beginning in 2010 (USSJackson), one to be built in 2011 (USSMontgomery), and two per year from 2012 to 2015. The LCS-6 contract was for US$432 million, with a goal of having the average ship cost US$352 million each. Another US$20 million was figured in for change orders, and a management reserve.[18]
In November 2008, Austal was awarded a contract to design and build the US military's next-generation, high-speed catamaran, the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), which was formerly called the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV). The contract was part of a larger programme potentially worth over US$1.6 billion.
As the prime contractor, Austal was to design and construct the first 103-metre (338ft) EPF, with options for nine additional vessels expected to be exercised between 2009 and 2013. Construction on the second ship started in September 2010. By the end of 2010, Austal had contracts for three ships, long-lead material contracts for two ships and options for five further ships, for a total of ten.[19]
The EPF can carry 635 tonnes (700 short tons), 1,200 nautical miles (2,200km; 1,400mi) at an average speed of 35 knots (65km/h; 40mph) and is able to unload at roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities. The vessels are 103m (338ft) long, have a 28.5m (94ft) beam with a crew of 22 to 40.[20]
In December 2015, Austal entered into a shipbuilding contract with the National Australia Bank to construct two further Cape-class patrol boats. The contract value is A$63 million. The two vessels will be delivered to the National Australia Bank in mid-2017 and chartered to the Australian Government for a minimum term of three years. Austal did a similar off-balance-sheet charter with Westpac Express, which was chartered to the US Navy for 13 years.[25]
In July 2018, the government of Trinidad and Tobago announced the acquisition of two Cape-class patrol boats. The vessels will enhance the border protection capabilities of the country in conjunction with the existing Coast Guard fleet, and will join six Austal Fast Patrol Craft acquired in 2009.[26]
In May 2020, six Evolved Cape-class patrol boats were ordered for the Royal Australian Navy. In 2022, a second order for an additional two vessels was made, and in 2023 a third order for a further two boats.[27][28][29][30]
Between June 2005 and February 2008, Austal delivered fourteen, 56.8m (186ft)Armidale-class patrol boats to the Royal Australian Navy for coastal defence. The boats were featured on the TV series Sea Patrol.[citation needed]
In 2009, the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta ordered four patrol boats from Austal.[31] They were due to replace the Swift-class patrol boats P23 and P24 which had been in commission since 1971 and the Bremse-class patrol boat P32 which had been in commission since 1992. The new vessels were built to Maltese specifications and were partly financed by the European Union.[32]
The first two vessels were launched in October 2009.[33][34] All four vessels were delivered to Malta in late 2009, and commissioned in March 2010.[35]
Yemeni Navy patrol boats
Yemeni Navy patrol boat
In 2005, Austal delivered ten high-speed patrol boats to the Yemeni Navy, which are commercially hired out to protect private shippers.[36][37]
Omani Navy High Speed Support Vessels (HSSV)
In early 2014, Austal announced it had been awarded a US$124.9 million contract for two High Speed Support Vessels (HSSV) for the Royal Navy of Oman. Both were delivered to the Omani Navy by late 2016.[38][39] The HSSV has a catamaran hull design similar to the US Navy's Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF).
Austal is one of only two companies building fast multi-hull ferries between 60 and 120m (200 and 390ft) long. In the early 1990s, the ferry industry was transformed with the introduction of large, high-speed catamarans with decks for vehicles. They quickly replaced most hydrofoil and hovercraft services as well as many monohull ferries. The popularity of the new type of multi-hull design led to many shipyards worldwide changing their production to build fast aluminium catamarans.
Eventually capacity exceeded demand and by the end of the 20th century most builders of large fast cats had ceased production. Austal and its only competitor in this category, Hobart-based Incat survived the late 1990s industry collapse. The two companies continue to compete for orders of large multi-hull ferries of up to 11,000 gross tons with capacities of over 1,200 passengers and 400 vehicles.
On 20 August 2014, Austal announced the sale of Austal Hull 270, the company's 102-metre (335ft) trimaran stock vessel, to the UK Channel Islands' ferry operator, Condor Ferries, for A$61.5 million. It was renamed HSCCondor Liberation. Modifications to the stock vessel were valued at approximately A$6 million, and was scheduled to enter service in Spring 2015. On 28 March 2015, the ship struck the quayside while attempting to dock in Guernsey on its second day in service. The damage was only minor and above the waterline. Since then, Condor Liberation has had a difficult period of operation with Condor Ferries, encountering numerous technical problems, weather cancellations and sustaining further damage to its hull whilst docked in Poole on 30 December 2015.[40]
Landing craft
In November 2023, defence companies Austal and Birdon announced that they would be building landing craft. They would be built at the Henderson Shipyard in WA.[41]
A trimaran is a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams. Most modern trimarans are sailing yachts designed for recreation or racing; others are ferries or warships. They originated from the traditional double-outrigger hulls of the Austronesian cultures of Maritime Southeast Asia; particularly in the Philippines and Eastern Indonesia, where it remains the dominant hull design of traditional fishing boats. Double-outriggers are derived from the older catamaran and single-outrigger boat designs.
A littoral combat ship (LCS) is either of two classes of relatively small surface vessels designed for near-shore operations by the United States Navy. It was "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals", although their ability to perform these missions in practice has been called into question.
The Armidale class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for a class of vessels to replace the fifteen Fremantle-class patrol boats began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malaysia pulled out of the process. The project was reopened in 1999 under the designation SEA 1444, with the RAN as the sole participant. Of the seven proposals tendered, the Austal/Defence Maritime Services (DMS) proposal for twelve vessels based on an enlarged Bay-class patrol boat was selected. Two additional boats were ordered in 2005 to provide a dedicated patrol force for the North West Shelf Venture.
Sea Fighter (FSF-1) is an experimental littoral combat ship in service with the United States Navy. Its hull is of a small-waterplane-area twin-hull (SWATH) design, provides exceptional stability, even on rough seas. The ship can operate in both blue and littoral waters. For power, it can use either its dual gas-turbine engines for speed or its dual diesel engines for efficient cruising. It can be easily reconfigured through the use of interchangeable mission modules. Helicopters can land and launch on its deck. Smaller water craft can be carried and launched from its stern. The vessel is being developed under the program title Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental with a hull type designation Fast Sea Frame. The first vessel has been assigned the hull classification symbol FSF 1 and also has been referred to as the X-Craft. The vessel was designed by British company BMT Nigel Gee who continue with a role in the development of the vessel.
USS Independence (LCS-2) is the lead ship of the Independence-class of littoral combat ships. She is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the concept of independence. The design was produced by the General Dynamics consortium for the Navy's LCS program, and competes with the Lockheed Martin designed Freedom variant.
Austal USA is an American shipbuilder based on Blakeley Island in Mobile, Alabama. It is a subsidiary of the Australian shipbuilder Austal, operating under a Special Security Arrangement which allows it to work independently and separately on some of the most sensitive United States defense programs despite its foreign ownership.
The Independence class is a class of littoral combat ships built for the United States Navy.
USS Coronado (LCS-4) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship. She is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after Coronado, California.
The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) is a United States Navy–led shipbuilding program to provide a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The EPFs can reach speeds of 35–45 knots, and allow the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces, equipment and supplies.
USNS Fall River (JHSV-4/T-EPF-4) is the fourth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). Fall River was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.
USS Montgomery (LCS-8) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the fourth ship to be named for Montgomery, the capital of Alabama.
USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1/T-EPF-1) is the lead ship of the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport to be operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. USNS Spearhead was christened on 17 September 2011.
USS Omaha (LCS-12) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the fourth ship to be named for Omaha, the largest city in Nebraska. The vessel's keel was laid down on 18 February 2015 at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama and launched on 20 November. The ship was commissioned at San Diego, California on 3 February 2018 and was assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One.
USNS Millinocket (JHSV-3/T-EPF-3)(ex-Fortitude) is the third Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama.
USS Tulsa (LCS-16) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the third ship to be named for Tulsa, second-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.
USS Manchester (LCS-14) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship in the United States Navy. She is the second ship to be named for Manchester, New Hampshire.
USS Charleston (LCS-18) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the sixth ship to be named for Charleston, the oldest and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina.
USS Oakland (LCS-24) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the third ship to be named for the City of Oakland, California.
USS Mobile (LCS-26) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. Named for the city of Mobile, Alabama, she is the fifth ship to carry the name.
USS Kingsville (LCS-36) will be an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She will be the first ship to be named for Kingsville, Texas, which is home to Naval Air Station Kingsville.
References
↑ "Happy 30th Birthday Austal". Austal USA. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018. Austal Limited started as a small, private shipyard in Perth, Western Australia on August 8, 1988.
↑ "Careers". Austal. 21 November 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017. Over 5,500 Austal employees, worldwide [...]
↑ "What We Do". Austal. 21 November 2014. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017. Austal is a global shipbuilder, defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner [...]; designing, constructing and supporting [...] defence and commercial vessels [...]
↑ "Ships". Austal. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017. Since 1988, Austal has been designing, constructing and supporting commercial vessels (including passenger ferries, vehicle passenger ferries, offshore and windfarm vessels) [...]
↑ "Production Facilities". Austal. 21 November 2014. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017. With shipyards in Australia, the United States of America and the Philippines, Austal is [...]
↑ "Our Customers". Austal. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017. Austal has designed and constructed over 260 vessels for over 100 clients in 50 countries, since 1988. Our customers include [...] commercial and defence fleet operators [such as] the U.S. Navy, Australian Border Force and Condor Ferries.
↑ "Oman receives second HSSV as Austal targets UAE". Jane's 360. 9 September 2016. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2017. The Royal Navy of Oman has received the second High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) from Australian shipbuilder Austal.
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