Austal launches USS Manchester at Alabama shipyard
The future USS Manchester is the latest littoral combat ship to launch from Austal USA. (Austal USA)
Austal USA launched the future USS Manchester – an advanced, high-speed aluminum warship – at its Alabama shipyard on Thursday.
The tri-hull Manchester (LCS 14) is the fifth littoral combat ship produced by Austal’s Mobile shipyard in an 11-ship contract, which is worth more than $3.5 billion.
On Thursday morning, the warship rolled out of Austal’s assembly bay in Mobile and onto a launch barge. Tugs took the Manchester on the barge down the Mobile River to BAE’s dry dock. Today, the drydock will be flooded so the hull’s integrity can be checked. Afterward, the tugs will return the ship to Austal.
The Manchester is scheduled for delivery in 2017. The ship has a maximum speed of more than 40 knots, a 28,000-square-foot mission bay and a flight deck capable of holding two H-60 helicopters.
Austal says its LCS program is in full swing, with three ships delivered and seven others under construction. Montgomery (LCS 8) conducted acceptance trials late last week. Two others — Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and Omaha (LCS 12) — are preparing for trials.
The company says final assembly is well under way on Tulsa (LCS 16), while modules for Charleston (LCS 18) and Cincinnati (LCS 20) are under construction in Austal’s Module Manufacturing Facility.
The Manchester was christened earlier this month in a ceremony featuring ship sponsor U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the only woman to be elected as both governor and U.S. senator.
“On behalf of Austal USA’s shipbuilding team, one of the most talented that I’ve ever worked with, we are proud to provide our sailors with an amazing warship that will honor the great city of Manchester as she defends our nation,” Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle said at the May 7 christening ceremony.
Austal has also been contracted by the U.S. Navy to build 10 Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPF) at its Alabama shipyard. Of the 10 ships included in the $1.6 billion block-buy contract, six have been delivered.
This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
