Littoral Combat Ship Christened Independence

(October 8, 2008) -- Austal USA's 127 metre trimaran Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 2 Independence, has been christened in front of over 1000 guests and dignitaries during an official ceremony held at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard.

The General Dynamics LCS Team - within which Austal is ship designer and builder - christened the state-of-the-art combat ship on October 4 on the waters of Mobile Bay, with Austal USA's recently launched 113 metre catamaran built for Hawaii Superferry alongside.


Speakers at the Christening Ceremony included Secretary of the US Navy, the Honourable Donald Winter, who commented on the importance of the vessel to the Navy's future defence efforts.

"USS Independence will play a pioneering role in our Nation's effort to protect our interests and to ensure the stability of the global economy," Secretary Winter said.

The Ship Sponsor was Doreen A. Scott, wife of the 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Terry D. Scott. She was joined by her daughter, Maid of Honor, Lauren A. Scott, but her daughter, Matron of Honor Ensign Lyndsey Fatz, USN, was out of the country on orders.

Among the other dignitaries to speak at the ceremony were Robert Browning, Austal Managing Director and CEO, Dugan Shipway, President, Bath Iron Works; the Honorable Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition); Secretary of the Navy; the Honorable Jo Bonner, U.S. Representative, Alabama's First District; and the Principal Speaker, Senator Jeff Sessions, from Alabama.

Principal Speaker, Senator Sessions, commented; "I'm proud of Austal and its workforce. In a few years it has grown from zero to over 1,000 employees," Sessions said.

Referring to Austal USA's new modular manufacturing facility, which has begun construction, Senator Sessions commented; "With the new facility seven times the size of these two bays, thousands more will be employed providing an efficient rate of production because 25 percent of our Navy ships will be Littoral Combat Ships."

The LCS 2 is the first ship built by Austal USA for the U.S. Navy and the Navy's first trimaran Littoral Combat Ship. It is the first naval warship constructed in Mobile, Alabama since World War II.

Source : Austal Ltd.