Austal USA delivered the future USS Canberra (LCS-30) Independence-variant littoral combat ship to the Navy on Dec. 21.
LCS-30 is set to be the 15th even-numbered Independence-variant LCS and 26th overall LCS. The delivery ceremony occurred at the company’s production facility in Mobile, Ala.
Canberra was previously christened last June (Defense Daily, June 4), was first launched into the Mobile River last March (Defense Daily, April 4) and completed acceptance trials with the Navy’s Bord of Inspection and Survey in November. The ship’s commissioning is planned for the summer of 2022.
LCS-30 was the first ship Austal USA built using a recently acquired dry dock. It is the second U.S. Navy ship named in honor of the lost Australian cruiser HMAS Canberra during the Battle of Savo Island in World War II.
“The delivery of the future USS Canberra to the Navy marks a significant milestone in the life of a ship. I look forward to celebrating the commissioning of Canberra and commemorating the heritage of her namesake forbearers after she departs from Austal and embarks upon her post-delivery test and trials period,” LCS Program Manager Capt. Andy Gold said in a statement.
Austal is currently building four more Independence-variant LCS at the Mobile facility including the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32), Augusta (LCS-34), and Kingsville (LCS-36) which are in varying stages of construction. Fabrication has also begun on the last programmed LCS, Pierre (LCS-38). Two Expeditionary Fast Transport ships (EPF’s 13 and 14) are also under construction at the shipyard.
The Navy noted LCS-30 is the third LCS delivered to the Navy this year following the USS Savannah (LCS-28) in June, also built by Austal, and USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21) in November.