Austal USA celebrated the keel-laying for the future USS Augusta, the 17th of 19 LCS Littoral combat ships that Austal is building for the U.S. Navy. The ceremony took place at the end of July.
In describing the ship, Austal says: “The Independence-variant LCS is a high-speed, shallow draft multi-mission ship capable of operating independently or in a group. These ships are designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance along coastal waters. A fast, maneuverable, and networked surface-combatant, LCS provides the required warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions such as surface warfare, mine warfare and anti-submarine warfare.”
Leigh Ingalls Saufley, dean of the University of Maine School of Law, is sponsor of the Augusta and participated virtually in the event, along with Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Bohning, USN. Participating on behalf of Austal was Dave Growden, vice president of new construction.
Four Littoral combat ships are under construction at Austal now and 14 have been delivered to the Navy.
