Posted on 04/18/2010 1:29:25 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Where are all the sailors? That's usually the first question visitors ask when they step aboard the Independence.
The littoral combat ship's unusually small crew -- it takes 40 sailors to operate the $700 million vessel -- is only the beginning of what sets it apart.
And if all goes as envisioned, the Independence, which ended its maiden voyage Wednesday at Norfolk Naval Station, could change the way the Navy does business.
The Independence and its cousin, the Freedom, were born in concept nearly a decade ago.
The military was looking for a quick and cost-effective way to increase its fleet of surface warships. It put out a call for something new: a fast, maneuverable and highly adaptable vessel that could take on a range of missions with a relatively small crew.
Lockheed Martin answered with the Freedom, commissioned in 2008; last winter General Dynamics delivered the Independence, which can operate in less than 15 feet of water and travel at speeds up to 40 knots.
The Navy is operating and evaluating both designs before deciding whether to order dozens more littoral combat ships over the course of the next several years.
It's not clear how many may be based here -- the Navy's current strategic plan lists Mayport, Fla., as the primary East Coast homeport for the ships.
"Everything about this ship is revolutionary," said the Independence's Cmdr. Curt Renshaw, standing on its flight deck Friday. "We're doing things in ways that the Navy has never done them before, and so far, it's working."
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
Wonder how effective damage control can be done.
Look for the Navy and all other branches to follow the Army with regards to automated, remotely operated combat vessels/vehicles/planes.
Just as the Army and Air Force are flying armed Predators from far away places, look for the Navy to begin building remotely operated boats for engaging targets. I bet in 50 years (if America can last that long) LCV’s will have the MOST sea borne sailors on them.
Littoral Combat Ship
Hey, it's got a flight deck.
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
I’m wondering the same thing.
Excellent point. With the crew as small as it is, they can't have the effective D/C measures that a larger ship would have. OTOH the ship itself wouldn't survive the sort of hits that larger vessels could.
It would be harder to hit. An LCS has to be more maneuverable than most of the Navy's other ships with a much faster acceleration/deceleration. It is also rated to be almost as fast as the carrier I served on.
Overall, I am not sure I approve of what seems to me to be a trend towards disposability. If the ship is disposable, so is the crew. Everyone knows the job was dangerous when they took it, but there are limits.
man thats ugly
“And with threats today more likely to come from pirates and terrorists than the behemoth Cold War enemies of old, the military has, in many instances, come to value agility and adaptability over sheer force.”
20 or 30 years from now when the chicoms have a “behemoth” navy agility won’t cut it.
The Freedom hauls ass and throws a 6 foot wake.
Yep - again we’re preparing to fight the last war.
Well,I suppose when another vessel is christened the Independence,my old tub,The USS Independence (CV-62) is not coming out of mothball.
Don’t worry. Nothing can go wron..go wron...go wron...SYSTEM FAILURE
The above quote comes from an earlier article: http://www.military.com/forums/0,15240,81838,00.html
Let's do the crew math.
Once at sea, the watch will set, so take the 40 core crew and subtract the officers (CO, XO, Systems Officer, and Engineering Officer) for 36 enlisted ratings. Divide by 3 and you get 12 per watch. Add in the 12 not on watch but not sleeping and you get a total of 24 available to run and maintain a 3,000 ton ship at any one time.
The question is how many continuous 16 hour days can the crew take (especially at 40 knots) before effectiveness and efficiency is seriously challenged? My feeling is not that many
1. Price per ship..
2. Exact mission.
Note: This months "Proceedings" magazine focuses on China. The PRCN also has a very modern squadron (or two) of LCS multi-hull vessels with ready for action NOW. These ships are expendable and capable assault platforms ready to hit Taiwan, etc. .
http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/index.asp
If they take a missile hit, D/C will be “Abandon Ship!”
$700 million for "disposable" is not affordable.
Take out the Captain, the EO, One Weapons Officer, and one CPO, that's 36 men. Assume Two JGs and One Cook and you're left with 33. That's 11 men per shift.With 2 for Radar and Sonar, and 2 in the Engine Room now you only have 7 men. Take 2 operate the Weapons and 2 to 'Steer' and now you only have 3 remaining crewmen to do 'all the other stuff'.
Three crewmen. THREE.
A Tugboat needs more crewmen to push Grain Barges up the IL River.
(I just hope pray that all these computers running this ship aren't Dells!)
>>$700 million for “disposable” is not affordable.
In the Obamanation, $700M will barely fund a half-dozen “created or saved” jobs, so I guess it is affordable for the Obamanavy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.