The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) participates in a combined formation of U.S. and Bangladesh naval ships during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh 2015 in the Bay of Bengal on Oct. 1, 2015. US Navy photo.
THE PENTAGON – A recently completed review of how the Navy intends to man, train and equip the two variants of its Littoral Combat Ships is a departure from the more than decade-old original vision of the class. Read More
USS Freedom (LCS-1), left, and USS Independence (LCS-2) in 2012. US Navy Photo
The Pentagon’s chief weapon’s tester is throwing his weight behind a Senate recommendation for the Navy to build land-based test versions of the engineering plants for the Freedom-class and Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships, according to a Tuesday statement. Read More
Littoral Combat Ships USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Coronado (LCS-4) sit at the pier at Naval Station San Diego on Feb. 17, 2016. USNI News photo.
After four combined engineering casualties within the last year, the commander, Naval Surface Forces (NAVSURFOR), “ordered an engineering stand down for every [Littoral Combat Ship] crew to review procedures and standards for their engineering departments,” the Navy said in a statement issued late Monday. Read More
USS Coronado (LCS-4) conducts operations during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 in July. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated with additional statements from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.
The Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado (LCS-4) has suffered an engineering casualty in route to Singapore and is returning to Hawaii to assess the damage, Navy officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle conduct coordinated flight operations with the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS-1) in the Southern California operating area on April 30, 2015. US Navy photo.
The Littoral Combat Ship USS Freedom (LCS-1) is sidelined in San Diego, Calif. for repairs after Navy inspectors found extensive damage in one of its two main propulsion diesel engines, Navy officials confirmed to USNI News on Sunday. Read More
An undated photo of a Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile in flight. Kongsberg Photo
This post has been amended with additional information from the Navy on the cost of the NSM test program.
The planned demonstration installation of an over-the-horizon missile on a Littoral Combat Ship is stalled due to lack of funds, U.S. Navy officials confirmed to USNI News on Friday. Read More
The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS-1) transits alongside the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) in preparation for a replenishment-at-sea training exercise on April 28, 2015. US Navy photo.
The Littoral Combat Ship program will reach several major milestones in the coming months, from conducting full ship shock trials on both hull variants, to demonstrating a new expeditionary mine mission package, to refining operational concepts, the outgoing program executive officer told USNI News in a May 2 interview. Read More
A Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is launched from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) during missile testing operations off the coast of Southern California in September 2014. US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to include additional information from Naval Sea Systems Command.
The Littoral Combat Ship program is poised to make big strides this year in its strike capability, both with over-the-horizon missiles and the shorter-range Longbow Hellfire missile. Read More
Sailors assigned to Surface Warfare Mission Package Detachment 2 prepare to be hoisted out of the water by USS Coronado’s (LCS-4) twin-boom-extensible crane following a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise on Aug. 15, 2015. US Navy photo.
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – As the Navy shifts from a two-variant frigate acquisition plan to a competition between the two Littoral Combat Ship builders, getting USS Coronado (LCS-4) out on its first deployment ahead of the frigate downselect will go a long way in validating the ship’s advertised capabilities, the Program Executive Officer for Littoral Combat Ships told USNI News. Read More
Littoral Combat Ships USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Coronado (LCS-4) sit at the pier at Naval Station San Diego on Feb. 17, 2016. USNI News photo.
As the Navy prepares to field its Littoral Combat Ship in numbers as well as transition the acquisition system from block buys of LCSs into the new frigate program, both the fleet and two shipbuilders are working to plot a path forward. Read More
