Austal USA was awarded a $261.8 million contract for the 13th and 14th Expeditionary Fast Transport ships (EPF) by the U.S. Navy last week.

Construction on the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) began on Feb. 22 in Austal USA's module manufacturing facility. Dave Growden, native Australian, LCS Program Director and a 30-year member of Austal USA's team, had the honor of pushing the button to start the router that cut the first piece of aluminum, signalling start of construction for the 15th Independence-variant littoral combat ship.

US Navy's future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) successfully concluded acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico Feb. 8, following a series of in-port and underway demonstrations for the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, US Navy PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants Public Affairs said on Feb. 12.

The Secretary of the US Navy has named littoral combat ships 36 and 38, Austal USA said on February 5. LCS 36 is the USS Kingsville after Kingsville, Texas, and LCS 38 is USS Pierre after the capitol city of South Dakota.

Austal USA is proud to announce the name of littoral combat ship 34, USS Augusta (LCS 34) after the city of Augusta, Maine, the shipyard announced on January 31.

The U.S. Navy held a keel laying and authentication ceremony for its twelfth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, Newport (EPF 12), at Austal USA’s shipyard., Jan. 29. The keel was said to be “truly and fairly laid” as it was authenticated by Charlotte Dorrance Marshall, signing her initials into the keel plate.

At SNA 2019, the Surface Navy Association's National Symposium currently held near Washington DC, Austal AUSA unveiled the latest variant of its "Austal Frigate".