Visit to Austal America

February / March 2012 - Navy
By RADM Casey W. Coane, USN (Ret)

On Friday the sixth of January, CAPT Bill Overend, our Southeast Region President, and I visited Austal America in Mobile, Alabama, to see the aluminum hull littoral combat ship that they are building. We were met by Mr. Mike Wysong, Business Development Manager, and Mr. Anton Schmeiman, Technical Sales Manager who most graciously toured us around the shipyard. The timing was good for our visit as the second ship in the class, CORONADO, LCS 4, was to be launched on Monday the ninth (odd numbered ships are built by Lockheed Martin). There was a lot of activity in the final assembly building readying the ship for its roll out and we had a wonderful opportunity to walk around and under the hull as well as to climb through the interior of CORONADO.

Although there is some steel in the vessel, it is essentially an all-aluminum ship. It is being built alongside the joint high speed vessel, a fast troop transport which is based upon Austal’s history of building high speed aluminum ferry boats. The LCS are being constructed in modules with plumbing, ducting, and wiring completely installed in each module before they are joined together. I have visited several commercial and military aircraft assembly plants and couldn’t help drawing mental comparisons. Of course, the sheer size of the various modules jumps out. The second thing of note is that like, aircraft plants, metal is cut and formed by computer controlled cutting machines. The same is true for pipe bending and shaping. Similarly, computer controlled machines measure and cut cabling. The big difference is that welding is the primary method of attaching everything together.

It is in the final assembly building where CORONADO took shape; and when one walks up to the ship, there are four obvious characteristics: It is a trimaran hull form. There are no propellers but four huge steerable water jet propulsion systems––two diesel powered and two by gas turbine engines. The forward third of the ship is extremely narrow, necessary for the speed she develops. Finally, the flight deck is huge, roomy for even a CH-53.

Other characteristics visible on the hull are four stabilizing fins that resemble wings with attached ailerons. Two are well forward on the hull and two aft. Computers control the “ailerons” to keep the ship stable, minimizing roll. There are also two rudders; but rather than place the rudders aft of propellers, they are forward of the four water jets. The water jets are reversible and capable of stopping the ship from speed in just about its length. Below the flight deck, the stern has a large door that will open to provide launch capability for remotely controlled vehicles from the module bay. Just forward of the flight deck, the hangar with two roll up doors will easily accommodate two HH-60 helicopters. The narrow weather deck forward of the bridge and main superstructure holds defensive missile systems and the automatic 57 mm gun. Unlike other vessels, it is not intended for crew to be on that weather deck while underway.

While the ship was ready for launch, there was much interior outfitting yet to be done. Therefore, with a lot of scaffolding and other construction material around, it was hard to get a true picture of the interior. That said, I was surprised by the size of the bay where some of the warfare modules will be placed. Picture a small hangar-type building capable of holding a dozen or more connex boxes. This is where mine-hunting vehicles, parts and repair support for such vehicles will be stored. The trimaran hull form provides a large interior volume without a large hull in the water. One advantage to this hull, of which Austal is justifiably proud, is that the ship can reach 18-22 knots on just the diesels and two water jets. That is a significant cruise speed without lighting off the gas turbine engines.

Our visit was a short two hours and had been set up virtually overnight so we owe Austal, Mike, and Anton our sincere appreciation for accommodating us. We have shared our impressions of the ship and a few facts that we picked up along the way. We look forward to an opportunity for a more formal visit to this unique new Navy asset.

More about CDR Bresnahan’s article on Austal LCS at http://bit.ly/xDEv7J