In a world of longer range and deadlier weapons, the littoral warfare concept is flawed. LCS is not equipped to properly defend itself. Their solution is to make LCS into an Arleigh Burke. Build more Arleigh Burkes.
The thing that gets me about the LCS is, it just looks like an updated version of the FF-1075 that I spent 3 years on. Now I’m sure everything is updated...but we had a 5” gun, missiles, torps, CIWS, Helo. We also had a sonar dome and a very reliable oil fired boiler for power. For a small ship I thought the “Trippe” was a very effective and versatile ship. I can’t remember the Skipper ever complaining that we couldn’t get close enough to the shore.
Granted I know we have to have new ships (they don’t last forever) - but the LCS design doesn’t look all that “revolutionary” to me.