Austal has set the benchmark for successful Australian defence companies with a strong export focus, regularly securing multimillion-dollar defence and commercial contracts overseas, most recently landing a further contract for the Independence Class littoral combat ship (LCS) with the US Navy. Defence Connect caught up with Austal’s chief executive David Singleton at the Pacific 2017 International Maritime Exposition to discuss how Austal achieved its phenomenal success overseas, closing the cost gap between south-east Asia and Australia, his views on the success of the 2016 Defence White Paper thus far and the future of Henderson.