Aluminum can be treated and work fie in a Slat Water/Ocean environment.Ok to me I'm confused they want LCS then they don't want LCS and if I were a sailor I really woul dnt like the idea of my assigned ship being refferd to as A "missile" sponge not a real secure feeling there as far as extending service life is HOW and why when they aren't even deployed yet and perhaps Jeff or someone else can answer the effects of say saltwater in aluminum as I have no idea what they are except both LCS has extensive aluminum superstructers and hulls
The biggest issue with Aluminum is that when the high temps of a missile hit get going, they will melt the superstructure and other areas faster.
now, they can treat it to help this...but the US learned by sad experience to build ships out of steel because of this.
That is another reason why the LCS were not considered very good for high risk warfare situations.
NOw, they have tried to mitigate that with adding armor in certain places, treating the material, and cutting fown on the RCS...as well as giiving them that speed.
But in the end...a fighting ship HAS to be able to take a hit or two and keep fighting.
I expect the uparmed LCS will work okay for many duties...but we still need warfighting frigates...and I hope they stay on track to provide them/