Posted on 05/17/2008 3:42:33 AM PDT by Reaganesque
May 15, 2008 With naval battles on the high seas now virtually extinct for the U.S. armed forces, the navy's role has become more one of infantry invasion and airstrike support - and with this new role comes a need for vessels more suited to littoral (just offshore) operations. The initial order was placed back in 2005, and the first delivery, the U.S.S. Independence, has just been launched, a speedy trimaran with helicopter decks, a stealthy radar profile and a healthy array of arms. It's configurable to suit a wide array of littoral combat missions, including minesweeping, anti-submarine and surface combat support - and now that we've seen it in the flesh, it wouldn't look the least bit out of place soaring over the credits of a Star Wars movie.
The U.S.S. Independence is the first of a projected fleet of between 50 and 100 littoral combat ships (LCSs) the US Navy will be adding to their fleet over the coming years. Built on a well-proven Australian-designed trimaran platform from Austal, the LCS is fast, stealthy and well suited to a range of offshore combat support missions.
The rear deck is suitable for two Seahawk helicopters, and can also support Harrier jump-jets if necessary. Onboard weaponry includes a 57mm Bofors gun, four .50 caliber guns, chaff, missile and torpedo decoy launchers, an 11-missile SeaRAM launcher, 8 Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, mine detection and towed array sonar units, and a vertical launching system for ASROC-style surface missiles or Evolved Sea Sparrow type missile defenses.
The U.S.S. Inedpendence was built and delivered by General Dynamics, as part of a four-ship evaluation plan. Two were to be built by General Dynamics, two by Lockheed Martin, and the designs were to be evaluated to determine the superior design. Sadly, cost blowouts by both General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin have seen the remaining three evaluation ships cancelled and the Navy is putting together a new bidding program to have the remaining three evaluation ships contracted and built.
maybe the idea is its protected by helicopters it carries. why waste space and money on fixed gun emplacements on the boat when you can launch killer aircraft for CAP.
The U.S.S. Independence is the first of a projected fleet of between 50 and 100 littoral combat ships (LCSs)
The "official" number in the USN 30-year shipbuilding plan is 55. Given the cost overruns of the program, and the fact that the plan isn't remotely a achievable in the USN budget, the actual figure is going to end up being some number under 55.
The rear deck is suitable for two Seahawk helicopters, and can also support Harrier jump-jets if necessary.
There are not going to be any Harriers going anywhere near this thing.
Onboard weaponry includes a 57mm Bofors gun, four .50 caliber guns, chaff, missile and torpedo decoy launchers, an 11-missile SeaRAM launcher, 8 Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, mine detection and towed array sonar units, and a vertical launching system for ASROC-style surface missiles or Evolved Sea Sparrow type missile defenses.
There's NO provision or intention of carrying Harpoon missiles and there's no VLS for ASROC or Evolved Sea Sparrow. There's no on-board sonars at all. All sonars, towed arrays, etc. are on unmanned boats in the ASW package.
There are, however, small VLS units for the small NLOS missile.(US Army program.)
THere’s no Phalanx CIWS on LCS.
However, the Surface Warfare Module consists of an additional two 30mm stabilized gun turrets in addition to the base 57 mm gun forward.
Despite what may be implied in some articles there’s no intention of LCS to provide gunfire support for troops ashore.
Would have been slick to put jet ports on the outer hulls.
SEARAM is a combination of the CIWS radar and fire control with the RAM missiles, removing the 20mm gun.
“One Phalanx defensive weapon per side, if one fails is that side unprotected? Whats plan B?”
Appeasement? /s
In other words we spent billions on a Navy Seal deployment platform with enough firepower to protect them if hostiles are chasing them back to the ship.
looks way cool ... but how many skiers can it pull?
And if the crew is half-female that would make it...
Just my SWAG - This design presumes our dominant air power, information acquisition and precision firepower. It's not made to support an assault where the enemy is indicriminantly lobbing big metal and expolsives in your direction because that kind of threat does not seem to be around so much any more.
This thing is made for missions that would seriously degrade the ability of the Chicoms to wage an amphibious assault, IMHO
...a clitoral warship with a Phallus system and a SEA RAM?
Damn! I knew we forgot something!!
Does this replace the 16” guns of the battleships?
Way cool.
I am coming, reluctantly, to the decision that the Navy doesn’t put large guns on their ships because large guns cause collateral damage and the JAG boys (and girls) don’t think it is legal. The same philosophy seems to hold for 155 mm artillery. Too much collateral damage; 14 terrorists killed and one child. etc. etc.
The bottom line is that we will pay for our mistakes in blood.
Jeez, I don’t get the fixation on the lack of gunnery. It’s not the only boat in the navy. Aircraft carriers don’t have deck guns, and neither do submarines.
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