Austal Launches First LCU

Austal USA of Mobile has launched its first Navy Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessel, LCU 1710. It is the first of 12 U.S. Navy LCUs under contract at Austal as part of a $91.5-million contract awarded by the Navy in 2023. It has three LCUs under construction. They will be carried aboard amphibious assault ships to the objective area and used across a range of military operations to deliver vehicles, personnel and cargo from sea to shore and back with their heavy-lift capability. Michelle Kruger, Austal USA president, said the program “plays a critical role in supporting expeditionary operations for the Navy and [U.S.] Marine Corps. Each milestone achieved shores up our position as a key contributor to the strength and success of the maritime industrial base.”