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Development and funding

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Littoral Combat Ship is a generic name for a new class of vessels deployed by or designed for the United States Navy. The littoral-combat-ship project has been in development for six years, and has suffered significant delays and much-publicized criticism. Sometime in 2010, the Navy plans to select a single LCS platform for production.

The Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (LSC(X) or Fast Sea Frame)

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The United States Navy commissioned its first littoral combat ship, USS Sea Fighter (FSF-1), in 2003; it launched in 2005. The Sea Fighter's platform, with its small waterplane area twin hull (a SWATH-type hull), is designated the Fast Sea Frame (Sea Fighter’s hull designation is FSF-1). [1] It is an experimental platform, initially designated as LSC(X), used to test a variety of mission modules. The Sea Fighteris being used in tests as a proxy for the next-generation littoral combat ships.[2][3]

The Littoral Combat Ship

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The littoral combat ship has been in development since 2004, when Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Raytheon each submitted proposed littoral combat ship designs to the Navy. The Navy eventually selected two, competing designs. These designs, approved in 2004, were Lockheed Martin's semiplaning monohull and General Dynamics' aluminum trimaran.[4][5] The Navy contracted with both companies, ordering two prototypes from each design, noting that it might use two different littoral-combat-ship platforms concurrently.

Originally, the Navy ordered two prototypes of each design. Later, the Navy canceled each company's second prototype.[6][7] By 2009, however, the Navy had renewed its orders.[8][9]

The Navy has announced that it will not, as originally planned, operate both design platforms contemporaneously.[10] Rather, sometime in the summer of 2010, the Navy will select a single platform and order 10 ships. [11] Again in 2012, the Navy will award a contract for another five ships, although not necessarily from the same shipyard.[12]

The Lockheed Design

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Lockheed Martin laid the keel of its first prototype on 2 June 2005 at Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wisconsin.[13] Lockheed's Maritime Systems and Sensors (MS2) division, directed by Fred Moosally, managed the contract.[14] On 23 September 2006, the Lockheed Martin prototype was christened the USS Freedom (LCS-1) and launched at the Marinette Marine shipyard.[15] The Freedom received its commission on 8 November 2008,at Veteran's Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[16]

Lockheed Martin's second prototype will be named the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3).[17]

The 2010 budget estimates that the Freedom will cost $637 million.[18]

The General Dynamics Design

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General Dynamics, working with its partner Austal USA (a subsidiary of Australian aluminum-ship manufacturer Austal, laid the keel of its first prototype on 19 January 2006 at Austal's shipyards in Mobile, Alabama. On 30 April 2008, the General Dynamics prototype was christened the USS Independence (LCS-2).

General Dynamics' second prototype will be the [[USS Coronado (LCS-4)|USS Coronado (LCS-4)].[19][20]

Independence is scheduled to cost $704 million.[21]

=Advantages

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Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems released a study that showed that seven LCS can more efficiently perform anti-piracy patrols in the Western Indian Ocean than a fleet of 20 conventional ships for a quarter of the cost.[22]

Criticism

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Much public criticism has been leveled against the LCS project, particularly because of comments made during the 2008 presidental election debates.

In the September 26, 2008 U.S. Presidential debate, John McCain denounced the littoral combat ship as an example of botched contracting procedures that drive up the costs of ships unnecessarily.[23]

Several other critics—including United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Chairman Gene Taylor (Mississippi), former Navy Secretary John Lehman, and Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Lyons—have complained about the costs of LCS project. [24][25][26]

Congressman Joe Sestak leaked that the LCS did not have the needed bandwidth for the anti-submarine mission.[27]

To address some of these criticisms Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead said that costs have nearly stabilized on the next batch of LCS vessels and that he would work with Congress to adjust the cost cap on these Naval ships.[28]

  1. ^ http://www.nicholsboats.com/x-craft.htm
  2. ^ http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19463
  3. ^ http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1200&ct=4
  4. ^ http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/littoral/
  5. ^ http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4
  6. ^ Merle, Renae (2007-04-13). "Navy Cancels Lockheed Ship Deal" (Press release). Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
  7. ^ "U.S.Navy Press Release No. 1269-07" (Press release). 2007-11-01. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  8. ^ *Washington Post (March 24, 2009). "National Briefing: Lockheed Gets Second Ship Deal" (Newspaper article). Washington Post. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
  9. ^ "Navy orders second LCS from Austal".
  10. ^ Navy revises Littoral Combat Ship buying plan
  11. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704569204575329191658022572.html?KEYWORDS=littoral+combat
  12. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704569204575329191658022572.html?KEYWORDS=littoral+combat
  13. ^ "Keel Laid for First Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom." Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs. 3 June 2005
  14. ^ *O'Rourke, Ronald (October 9, 2008). "Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  15. ^ "First Littoral Combat Ship Christened." Navy News. 25 September 2006
  16. ^ *Milwaukee Journal Sentinal (November 5, 2008). "Navy's Vessel of Versatility" (Newspaper article). Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
  17. ^ Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship USS Fort Worth
  18. ^ New LCS prices to be revealed
  19. ^ Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado
  20. ^ San Diego Union-Tribune, Future Warship To Bear The City's Name, March 15, 2009.
  21. ^ New LCS prices to be revealed
  22. ^ Unmanned Assets Could Save 75% of Cost of Anti-Piracy Operations
  23. ^ "Transcript of presidential debate - CNN.com". CNN. 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
  24. ^ Press-Register, Congressman's suggestion to open LCS competition could take jobs away from Mobile
  25. ^ Former Navy Sec. says ship buying system flawed
  26. ^ Why we need better ships
  27. ^ Don't Give up the Ships: A Look at a 200-Ship Navy
  28. ^ US Navy encouraged by cost trend on LCS
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