Nation's First Littoral Combat Ship Christened and Launched by Lockheed Martin LCS Team

MARINETTE, Wis., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- History was made here today when the nation's first Littoral Combat Ship, FREEDOM (LCS-1) -- the inaugural ship in an entirely new class of U.S. Navy surface warships -- was christened and launched at the Marinette Marine shipyard.

The agile 377-foot FREEDOM -- designed and built by a team led by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) -- will help the Navy defeat growing littoral, or close-to- shore, threats and provide access and dominance in coastal water battlespace. Displacing 3,000 metric tons and with a capability of reaching speeds well over 40 knots, FREEDOM will be a fast, maneuverable and networked surface combatant with operational flexibility to execute focused missions, such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and humanitarian relief.

FREEDOM's christening ceremony included the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle across the ship's bow, performed by ship's sponsor Birgit Smith. Smith, the wife of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery and gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom, was selected as FREEDOM's sponsor by Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England.

FREEDOM made a spectacular side-launch before an audience of thousands who had lined both sides of the Menominee River, which divides the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

"Just a little more than three years ago she was just an idea, now FREEDOM stands before us. And on this morning, we christen her, send her down the ways and get her ready to join the Fleet next year," Admiral Michael G. Mullen, U.S. Navy, Chief of Naval Officer. "It comes none too soon ... because there are tough challenges out there that ONLY she can handle."

"This is a rewarding day for the entire LCS team and signifies a major milestone in the LCS program," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors. "We are proud to be the team bringing FREEDOM to the U.S. Navy fleet."

In 2004, the Navy contracted the Lockheed Martin-led industry team to develop its first LCS. The team's LCS design for FREEDOM -- a survivable, semi-planing steel monohull -- provides outstanding maneuverability with proven sea-keeping characteristics to support launch and recovery operations, mission execution and optimum crew comfort.

Now formally christened and launched, FREEDOM will continue to undergo outfitting and testing at Marinette Marine. FREEDOM will be commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2007 and eventually homeported in San Diego, CA.

The Lockheed Martin LCS team received a contract in June 2006 to build a second Littoral Combat Ship. Construction on this ship, yet to be named, will begin in Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, LA (near New Orleans), in early 2007.

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team for LCS includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox, ship builders Marinette Marine Corporation, a subsidiary of The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (NYSE: MTW - News), and Bollinger Shipyards, as well as best-of-industry domestic and international teammates to provide a flexible, low-risk warfighting solution.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

I'm not exactly an expert, but my understanding is that the Navy was looking for a small and relatively cheap ship that could be mass produced to operate in close to shore and shallow environments. Last I saw, they were looking to purchase like 50-60ish of them. A good example of where these ships would be useful is the Phillipines or places like that. With the exception of a small number of special operation boats, the Navy doesn't have ships that can operate in that kind of environment, weaving in and out of shallow waters between islands. The current destroyers and frigates are just too large and too expensive, designed for open-ocean work. Presumably, the objective will be to provide close-in support for ground forces operating near the shore and to strike coastal targets.

I have some questions and observations on the LCS program and the Navy’s strategy.

In addition to the Philippines Islands as a locus of operation, the Navy apparently plans to operate these LCSs in potentially hostile waters which could include Communist China.

With the sophisticated anti-access/denial-access weapons in their possession, or soon in their possession, of the Chi-Coms, what chance do the LCSs have in this very hostile surface environment? In addition, the Chi-Coms have the Shakval homing torpedoes which travel close to 300 MPH for short distances (1,000 or so yards?). Finally, with the advances in anti-ship missiles (e.g., the Israeli ship was hit with one off Lebanon and remember the Falklands War) how can they even get into the littorals?

The missions assigned the LCS’s overlap and take away missions from the SSNs. How can the LCS possible compete with the SSNs on ISR missions, anti-sub missions and anti-mine missions? This is currently an unproven, and untested (and largely undeveloped) LCS program. The program dollars cut back from the highly proven VA class SSN construction program appear to closely match the program dollars being absorbed by the LCS program and related modules (also undeveloped).

What can be done to re-review this program decision and likely mission misjudgment? It perhaps also brings a great risk to national security as well as a great risk to the dedicated sailors who will man the LCSs?

The Russians/Soviets were very respectful of our SSNs and the Chi-Coms should be very respectful of our SSNs or they will pay a great price. I can not now see how the Chi-coms will be fearful of the LCSs compared to our SSNs. Meanwhile the Chi-Coms are building subs galore and buying Russian subs galore. Six shipyards are dedicated to this sub construction effort in Russia and China. Mothballed Russian Kilos (like brand new) were sold to North Korea (50) and many were also sold to China. Also, Russian subs are being refurbished for sale to China. China is planning to have 150 to 200 submarines in the next 15 years or so; they have 80 to 100 now but I do not know their condition. They are planning to use the older subs as sacrificial decoys against our SSNs; what a great mission for these poor submariners. Our Navy is planning 48 or less SSNs.

China has SSBNs that can hit 250 to 500 U.S. cities with MIRV ICBMs. Guess who gets to go after them and has to keep track of them just like the Soviet SSBNs? The Soviets were so afraid of our SSNs that they set up a bastion strategy under the polar ice where a Typhoon SSBN was surrounded by their SSNs to give it time to fire its missiles.

Both Russia and China believe submarines will win the next world war as aircraft carriers and their air arms won WW II in the Pacific. What do the Chinese and Russian know that we do not? What page are our war planners on? Don’t we need a two war capability with the Russians and Chinese working together? What page is the Navy on? Please enlighten me on these issues?

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