GD, Austal part ways on LCS

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA and General Dynamics said they're parting ways in the competition to build littoral combat ships for the Navy. The split means Austal will bid as the lead contractor to build as many as 10 of the ships in the next four years. General Dynamics has been the lead contractor on the first two LCS won by the team, but Austal has been building the ships on the east bank of the Mobile River. The split means General Dynamics can bid separately in 2012 to build the ships. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman is also looking into bidding for LCS work two years from now. That's what its top shipbuilding executive told a House panel Wednesday. The comment was reported by the trade publication Defense News.(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/05/10)