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Five ship designs will compete in the Navy’s bid for 20 next-generation guided-missile frigates (FFG(X)) that will follow the Littoral Combat Ship, the service announced on Friday. Read More
The following are the Naval Sea Systems Command Jan. 9, 2017 briefing slides on the status of the Navy’s next-generation frigate competition. Read More
The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) conducts routine patrols in international waters of the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands as the People’s Liberation Army-Navy [PLA(N)] guided-missile frigate Yancheng (FFG 546) sails close behind, on May 11, 2015. US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to include additional information on the Littoral Combat Ship costs for Fiscal Year 2018.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s new class of 20 guided-missile frigates could cost an estimated $950 million per hull, the Naval Sea Systems Command FFG(X) program manager said on Tuesday. Read More
Hull Maintenance Technician 1st Class James Strotler welds a flow meter, a critical part to support the ship’s capability to produce potable water, for the reverse osmosis unit aboard USS Fort Worth (LCS-3). US Navy Photo
This article is the third in a three-part series on the changes occurring in the Littoral Combat Ship community as the fleet rapidly grows, moves to a new crewing and organizational construct and prepares for multi-ship forward operations.
SAN DIEGO – The Littoral Combat Ship community is taking steps to both decrease the amount of overall maintenance work the ships require and increase the percentage conducted by sailors instead of contractors, several officers told USNI News during a recent visit to the San Diego waterfront. Read More
The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) is underway off the coast of Oregon conducting rough water trials on March 17, 2015. US Navy photo.
The Navy held an industry day for companies interested in participating in the frigate program, walking them through what is already decided about the future ship program and what decisions are pending industry feedback. Read More
USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Independence (LCS-2)
This post has been updated to include the link to the full Request for Information.
The Navy released the first formal details on what it wants in its guided-missile frigate in a new request for information to industry issued today. The new ship concept outlined in the RFI in many ways resembles the Navy’s previous frigate plans but also looks at upgrades like more powerful radars and vertical-launch missile tubes. Read More
USS Independence (CV-62) in 1979. US Navy Photo
The decommissioned aircraft carrier Independence (CV-62) will depart from Naval Station Kitsap, Wash. for Brownsville, Texas on Saturday, Naval Sea Systems Command announced 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.
The Littoral Combat Ship’s mine countermeasures (MCM) mission package will not reach initial operational capability (IOC) by the end of September as planned, after reliability issues forced the program to stretch out the test period and delay Pentagon-level initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E). Read More
USS Independence (LCS 2) departs San Diego for Pensacola, Fla., to conduct operational evaluation and testing of the mine countermeasures mission package. US Navy Photo
The test ship for the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mine countermeasure (MCM) mission package shipped out from Naval Station San Diego, Calif., last week. Read More
U.S. Navy Photo
The Pentagon plans to cut the total number of Littoral Combat Ships by 20 — from 52 to 32 — according to a Wednesday report in Defense News. Read More
