USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) on Nov. 25, 2014. US Navy Photo
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Navy’s new frigate will go through the requirements-generation and testing processes as a flight upgrade rather than a new-start program, helping save time and money and allowing the program office to focus on what will be different from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) to the frigate upgrade, frigate program manager Capt. Dan Brintzinghoffer said on Wednesday. Read More
USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), bottom, the guided missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG-102) in the Java Sea on Jan. 14, 2015. US Navy Photo
The second Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has proven so much more reliable than the first that the Navy has been able to experiment with a new expeditionary maintenance model to extend the reach of the ship, the program executive officer for LCS told USNI News last week. Read More
The guided-missile frigate USS Gary (FFG-51), top, and the littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) conduct a photo exercise off the coast of Central America in January. US Navy photo.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is working with both its shipbuilders to determine how to bring the current LCS designs into a more lethal and survivable frigate design, while it works with other Navy offices to finalize the frigate requirements. Read More
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter embarked aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) passes by USS Independence (LCS 2) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. US Navy photo.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Program Executive Officer for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) hopes to send a version of the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission package out to sea before officially reaching initial operational capability, as earlier testing showed “phenomenal” capability compared to current systems. Read More
An undated photo of a Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile in flight. Kongsberg Photo
ALEXANDRIA, VA. — The Norwegian manufacturer of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) has teamed with U.S. missile manufacturer Raytheon to pitch the anti-ship missile (ASM) to the Navy as the over-the-horizon (OTH) ASM for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), company officials told reporters in a briefing on Thursday. Read More
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) deploys a remote multi-mission vehicle (RMMV) while testing the ship’s mine countermeasures mission package (MCM) off the southern California coast in August 2013. Austal USA photo.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – USS Independence (LCS-2) got underway Tuesday to prepare for its mine countermeasures mission package technical evaluation (TECHEVAL), which will be followed by initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) in July and likely a declaration of initial operational capability (IOC) by the end of September, the program executive officer for Littoral Combat Ships told USNI News. Read More
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.
This post has been updated to include additional information from Lockheed Martin regarding the impact of the contracting decision to its production line.
The Navy on Tuesday awarded Austal USA $691 million for two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and Lockheed Martin $441 million for one LCS and advance procurement funding for a second ship next year. Each company’s contract modification also included an option for another ship in Fiscal Year 2016 which would be the 11th for each builder under a block buy. Read More
The following is the March 24, 2015 Congressional Research Service report, Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)/Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
The Danish frigate, Iver Huitfeldt (F-361). Photo courtesy Wikipedia.
As the U.S. Navy’s requirements and engineering communities look at upcoming ship classes and attempt to build in flexibility, they first need to decide what it means to be a “flexible ship” and how much to prioritize that flexibility, one admiral said.
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USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) on Nov. 25, 2014. US Navy Photo
The Program Executive Office for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) began a series of tests on its modified Longbow Hellfire missile from a surrogate test platform, with a successful first test after some weather delays. Read More
