The first of class littoral combat ships USS Freedom (LCS 1), rear, and USS Independence (LCS 2) maneuver together during an exercise off the coast of Southern California on May, 2 2012.
US Navy Photo.
The results of the Navy taskforce for a follow-up hull to the Littoral Combat Ship are in, but the service will remain mum on the findings until they’re integrated into next year’s budget, the service said on Thursday. Read More
USS Arlington (LPD-24) under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Huntington Ingalls Industries Photo
In the U.S. Navy’s perfect world, the service will reach its goal of a 306-ship fleet by 2020, according to the service’s latest 30-year long-range shipbuilding report, submitted to Congress on July 1 and obtained by USNI News on Monday. Read More
USS Independence (LCS 2) shows its maneuverability while underway in the Pacific Ocean on April 23, 2014. US Navy Photo
The following is the June 25, 2014 Congressional Research Service report, Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress.
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An artist’s conception for variants of the Freedom-class LCS design provided to USNI News. Lockheed Martin Image
Lockheed Martin outlined the range of options they presented to the Navy as part of the Pentagon mandated study into a follow-on ship to the Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ships in a media briefing on Monday.
Norwegian frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310). Royal Norwegian Navy Photo
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s recent direction to the Navy to develop proposals for a “capable and lethal small surface combatant, generally consistent with the capabilities of a frigate” could have a major affect on several Navy programs. Read More
An artist’s concept of the Multi-Mission Combatant offering based on the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship design. General Dynamics Photo
The Navy is calling on industry to arm the task force working the follow-on design to the current version of the Littoral Combat Ship with concepts through two requests for information (RFI), issued late Wednesday.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program on April, 9 2014. A copy of the speech, as prepared, was provided to USNI News. Read More
USS Independence (LCS 2) deploys a remote multi-mission vehicle (RMMV) on Aug. 22, 2013. The Navy plans to buy 18 RMMVs over the next five years. US Navy Photo
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s mandate capping of the first variants of the Littoral Combat Ship at 32 hulls will do little to limit the acquisition of the mission packages for the Flight 0 LCS over the next five years, navy officials told USNI News last week. Read More
Testing of the Mk-60 Patrol Costal Griffin Missile System. US Navy Image.
The missile the U.S. Navy plans to use in early versions of the Littoral Combat Ship surface warfare mission package and on Cyclone class patrol craft has reached initial operating capability (IOC) for its first use at sea, missile maker Raytheon announced Tuesday. Read More
A Lockheed Martin concept for variations of the Freedom-class LCS design from corvette to Frigate sized hulls. Lockheed Martin Photo
The Navy has outlined its next steps in an Pentagon mandated efforts to create a new type of ship to follow the 32 planned Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ships, according to a March 13 letter signed by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Sean Stackley, the Navy’s chief weapons buyer. Read More
