Feature 6 | US Navy
Trimaran hullform joins fleet as JHSV
construction begins
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Independence officially joined the US
fleet early in 2010 at a commissioning ceremony held near Austal’s Mobile,
Alabama, facility. Around the same time Austal was also cleared to begin
construction of the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV).
USS Independence
(LCS 2) pier
side during her
commissioning
ceremony.
I
ndependence has Austal’s proven Western Australia. started on 12 of the 28 modules that will
low-resistance trimaran hullform, Construction is already underway make up the trimaran design. Six of the
and the advantages that the on the second LCS to be built based on 28 modules are currently being outfitted
hullform provides in terms of speed, Austal’s trimaran design (Austal is part with equipment such as gas turbines,
manoeuvrability and stability. The of the General Dynamics LCS team) generators, and propulsion equipment,
127m all-aluminium vessel is capable Coronado, which is expected to be and electrical, piping and ventilation
of being outfitted with reconfigurable delivered in 2012, and as highlighted in systems. Three modules have been
payloads (or mission packages) which more detail below, Austal USA has also erected in their pre-launch position.
can be changed quickly to support mine begun construction of the first Joint At about the same time, the Naval Sea
countermeasures, anti-submarine and High Speed Vessel (JHSV) which will Systems Command (NAVSEA) released
surface warfare missions. The vessel has a be named Fortitude (JHSV 1). As prime the contract prices for the next two
maximum speed of more than 45knots. contractor for the project, Austal will LCS and revealed they have exceeded
The performance benefits of the vessel’s design and build up to 10 of the 103m Congressional targets. The contracts were
trimaran hullform have been proven JHSVs between now and Fiscal Year 2013 awarded in early 2009, and together will
by the 127m Benchijigua Express which (FY2013) – five for the US Navy and five cost nearly US$1.1 billion (Congress set a
has been in commercial service in Spain for the US Army. limit of US$460 million per ship, which is
since 2005. The hullform is also used for Austal hosted an abbreviated supposed to take effect with the FY2011
Austal’s next-generation 102m trimaran keel-laying ceremony for Coronado budget putting the new unit costs 19%
ferry, which was recently launched in in December 2009 as fabrication above the Congressional limit).
34 Warship Technology March 2010
WT_Mar-2010_p34-35-36.indd 34 23/02/2010 17:01:33
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