Austal

The Navy is considering a plan to buy two competing designs for the Littoral Combat Ship, possibly dividing a 20-ship buy between manufacturers Lockheed Martin Corp. and the U.S. unit of Australia's Austal Ltd.

Navy May Split Ship Purchase Between Lockheed, Austal Nathan Hodge 2010

The Austal ship is built around an aluminum trimaran design, derived from a commercial high-speed ferry.

Navy May Split Ship Purchase Between Lockheed, Austal Nathan Hodge 2010

Austal then took over as lead bidder, with a division of General Dynamics designing the electronics for the vessels.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

The Austal team's ship, an Independence-class vessel, is built around an aluminum trimaran design, a triple-hull form used by commercial ferries that has not been employed before on a U.S. warship.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

Austal then took over as lead bidder, with a division of General Dynamics designing the electronics for the vessels.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

Last year the Navy launched a major overhaul of its acquisition plan for the ships after it had previously ordered four ships -- two to be built by Lockheed and two by General Dynamics, which was working with Austal as a partner.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

Last fall, citing flaws in the competition, the Pentagon reworked the acquisition process on the contract, after which Austal took over as lead bidder, with a division of General Dynamics designing the electronics for the vessels.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

The Austal team's ship, an Independence-class vessel, is built around an aluminum trimaran design, a triple-hull form used by commercial ferries that has not been employed before on a U.S. warship.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

Last fall, citing flaws in the competition, the Pentagon reworked the acquisition process on the contract, after which Austal took over as lead bidder, with a division of General Dynamics designing the electronics for the vessels.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010

Last year the Navy launched a major overhaul of its acquisition plan for the ships after it had previously ordered four ships -- two to be built by Lockheed and two by General Dynamics, which was working with Austal as a partner.

Navy poised to pick builder of new Littoral Combat Ship this summer 2010