That's what the shipboard-based helicopter and RIB boats are for."
Sure, but first the cutter has to get within range, which it can't do if it's being TOWED!!
Current US Legend class cutters are listed as 28+ knots max speed.
And LCS's these days are good for what... maybe 15 knots?
The first LCS Independence cost over $700 million (about the same as a Legend cutter), but Wiki lists the average build cost for the Independence class at $360 million, obviously not including repairs & rebuilds.
Independence and Legend are about the same length, but Legend is 4,500 tons and Independence maxes at 3,500 tons.
I guess that's the difference aluminum makes...
And Legend cutters have three times the range of Independence LCS's.
But the really important difference is that Legends work as advertised, Independence -- not so much.
Coast Guard Legend class at sea:
Compare to LCS Independence IN PORT:
