USS Omaha (LCS 12) completes acceptance trials

The following is the text of a news release from Austal Ltd.:

(MOBILE, Ala.) — Austal Ltd. has announced that the Independence-variant littoral combat ship 12 (LCS 12), the future USS Omaha, has successfully completed United States Navy (USN) acceptance trials.

Omaha is the sixth Independence-variant LCS to be designed and built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., under a current contract with the USN for 11 LCS vessels, valued at over $3.5 billion.

The last significant milestone before delivery of the ship, the Navy-conducted acceptance trials include comprehensive tests of the vessel's propulsion plant, handling and auxiliary systems.

"The Navy/industry trials team in Mobile has found their stride and, with stability in the serial production line, are bringing ships to trial with consistently improved performance at decreasing cost," said Navy Capt. Tom Anderson, LCS program manager. "Omaha will be an exceptional addition to the rapidly growing in-service fleet."

Austal’s LCS program is at full-rate production, delivering two ships a year with six ships currently under construction. Manchester (LCS 14) is preparing for trials and Tulsa (LCS 16) will begin trials at the end of the year. Final assembly is well underway on Charleston (LCS 18) and Cincinnati (LCS 20), while modules for Kansas City (LCS 22) are under construction in Austal’s Module Manufacturing Facility (MMF). The USN’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program is also under construction in Mobile, where Austal is delivering EPFs under a $1.9 billion contract.

By Professional Mariner Staff