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The Littoral Combat Ship, built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Austal USA, has been plagued with cost overruns, design flaws, and a number of failures. In fact, the LCS performed so poorly that then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel cut the Navy's LCS acquisition from 52 to 32 ships, and directed the Navy to appoint a Small Surface Combatant Task Force, or SSCTF, to "submit alternative proposals to procure a capable and lethal small surface combatant, consistent with the capabilities of a frigate." The good news is Lockheed Martin addressed many of the issues plaguing the LCS, and now production...

Rolls-Royce to Power Ten Littoral Combat Ships for the U.S Navy (Source: Rolls-Royce plc; issued January 16, 2011) Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, will supply gas turbines and waterjets for ten of the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) – the Group’s largest ever marine naval surface ship contract. Designed to operate in combat zones close to the shore (littoral waters), each LCS will be equipped with two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines powering four large waterjets, enabling the vessels to reach speeds in excess of 40 knots. At 36 megawatts, the MT30 is the world’s most powerful marine gas...

In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day". littoral • \LIT-uh-rul\ • adjective of, relating to, or situated or growing on or near a shore especially of the sea Example sentence: The report shows dramatic improvement in the condition of the state's littoral waters since the cleanup effort began. Did you know? You're most likely to encounter "littoral" in contexts relating to the military and marine sciences. A "littoral combat ship" is a fast and easily maneuverable combat ship built for...

Navy sea trials of LCS Independence are completeDailyTech previously published an article noting the United States Navy was planning on testing its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in trials after an aborted attempt and months of delay. During testing, the General Dynamics-created Independence had an average speed of 44 knots, with a top speed of 45 knots.  The ship, which was tested in the Gulf of Mexico, endured 25-knot winds and eight-foot waves. Previously, engineers expected the ship to top 44 knots -- during testing in July, engine issues stopped maximum speed tests before Independence could reach 44 knots.  Exact engine...

SAN DIEGO – The Navy has scaled back plans to build an innovative but unexpectedly costly warship set to undergo testing in San Diego this year. In the budget proposed this month, President Bush called for acquiring two Littoral Combat Ships instead of the six previously forecast. Navy officials said they want to delay construction of more littoral ships so they have enough time to test the prototypes, the Freedom and the Independence. They plan to examine the prototypes for design advantages, versatility and high-tech features. The information they gather will be incorporated into any future model of the ship....

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy announced Dec. 2 that USS Freedom (LCS 1), the first littoral combat ship of the LCS 1 class, will be homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif. Freedom is expected to be delivered to the Navy in December 2006 and arrive in San Diego in early 2007. Freedom-class ships are designed to counter challenging shallow-water threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, diesel submarines and fast surface craft. A fast, agile, and high-tech surface combatant, they will utilize mission-focused packages that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles to execute a variety of missions. On May 27,...