The Navy this week awarded Austal USA $691 million for two Littoral Combat Ships, while competitor Lockheed Martin received $362 million for one ship plus $79 million in advanced procurement funding for a second ship next year. This is the first year the Navy is only buying three LCS vessels, a budget pressure-imposed break from its planned four-a-year procurement strategy. Up until fiscal year 2015, the Navy had procured two each of Austal's Independence variant and Lockheed's Freedom variant every...
