Posted on 01/18/2010 6:38:42 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
On Saturday, the US Navy commissioned its second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in Alabama. After accepting Lockheed Martin’s LCS design in November 2008, the US Navy now welcomed the second warship of this future class of vessels. This time it was the 379-feet (115.5 metre) aluminium, three-hulled ‘Independence’ (LCS-2), designed and built by Lockheed’s competitors, General Dynamics Corporation and Austal, in the race for the multi-billion dollar follow-up orders. Following the successful completion of builder's trials on 21 October 2009 and acceptance trials on 19 November 2009, the Independence now joins the service to evaluate which of the two designs the Navy prefers.
The competitors are hoping to convince the Navy with their LCS solution and to secure the promised contracts, valued at more than $25 billion (€17.38 billion), to construct a fleet of up to 55 ships. The much-anticipated decision in favour of one of the two competitors will not only be a bonanza for the selected contractor but will also shape the future face of the US Navy, in which the LCS will play a key role. This asset is one of the pillars of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead’s plan to increase the size of the service’s fleet from 287 to 313 ships.
According to Reuters, the Navy has scheduled to release a final request for proposals around 22 January. The first contract, worth an estimated $5 billion or more, includes the procurement of ten ships at a rate of two per year, as well as the computer system to run five more ships.
(Excerpt) Read more at defpro.com ...
And this happened right down here in Mobile....
Looks like a Somali pirates worst nightmare.
It does kinda look like the San Antonio class with just the front and back. lol.
The Littoral Combat Ship will stand as perhaps the most disastrous acquisition program in US Navy history (hard to compare with things where nothing was actually built, like the A-12).
At least the LCS-2 isn’t as awful as LCS-1; I’m still fearful LCS-1 will win the down-select because it’s steel and can be easily built at more yards, allowing its construction to be spread around more for industrial-base (read political) considerations.
The happy horse-s*** articles about how cool they look and how fast they are in the major media need to be ignored.
In any non-public context, from O-6s and below across the Navy, you’ll find it generally accepted the LCS is essentially useless.
All three mission packages for the ships are essentially in complete disarray, as well.
Sadly the program seems essentially unkillable.
Why’d they put a tennis court on the back of the thing? Isn’t that a waste of money?
Aluminum tends to corrode. Especially in corrosive environments like the ocean.
Then again, they know what they are doing.
Saw a great shot of her, moving at 43 knots, and executing a 90 degree turn that was almost a right angle. She’s a sweetie!
Armed with a popgun? (57mm)
You should see that 57mm "popgun" do its thing, PAR35. In the role for which it was designed, it is a devastating weapon. A Google search should yield an easy hour's worth of video showing a devastating streams of rounds on target. Enjoy!
Perhaps you are forgetting the air assets that this ship can project? Two Seahawks can reach out an touch someone real personal like.
This one?
Reminds me of Darth Vader’s shuttle.
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