Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)

D

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Re: US Navy launches and christens first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

Scratch said:
You're right, I didn't read his post thoroughly enough. But still, I cannot see the package to be that much more expensiv.
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21 missiles (number in a RAM launcher) is approaching $10 million. Though it sounds a bit cheap to me, it's far more believable than suggesting it's ten-times cheaper than Phalanx.

Anyway, whatever the price it does seem quite affordable - one reason why we should consider using it for any "corvettes" we build. Then again VT is making some heavy-duty girls for Oman at only £133 million each! Check out these stats:

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VT has made no comment on ship system vendors. However, it is understood that Thales will be principal subcontractor for the combat system scope of supply, with Thales Nederland to supply its TACTICOS combat management system, SMART-S Mk 2 E/F-band medium-range surveillance radar (integrated with a Thales TSB2525 IFF interrogator), STING EO Mk 2 fire-control director, and Link Y Mk 2 datalink terminal.

MBDA is to supply its VL MICA short-range air defence system to equip the Khareef vessels, having been selected ahead of Raytheon Missile Systems (offering the Raytheon RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile). Each ship will be equipped with a 12-cell VL MICA launcher forward of the bridge.

Other weapon systems are believed to include MBDA's MM40 Exocet Block 3 surface-to-surface guided weapon system, a single Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid gun and two MSI-Defence Systems DS 30M 30 mm guns. Soft-kill defence will be provided by the Rheinmetall Waffe Munition MASS decoy system.
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Have a slightly bigger VLS, and I think they might be on to a winner with that design. Would have to swap the Exocets for Harpoons, of course. ;)
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

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Registered Member
Construction Progress on USN Littoral Combat Ships

The construction of the second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the US Navy, being built for General Dynamics by Asutal USA in Mobile, AL is making good progress. LCS will represent the Trimaran design, while the initial craft in class, the USS Freedom, LCS 1, built by Lockheed Martin and launched in September of 2006, is a high speed, semi-planing monohull design.

Here is the latest picture of LCS 2's construction progress (late October 2006):

Progress-as-of-October-2006.jpg


When completed, the trimaran design will look like this:

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The USS Independence should be launched in late 2007 for commissioning in 2008.

Here is a picture of USS Freedom, LCS 1.

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bd popeye

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
VIP Professional
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

That's the future of the surface US Navy. Mine counter measures, land attack. shore bombartment. Massive cruise missile attacks. ASW...Drug interdiction..etc...etc...

Jeff, Which LCS did the USN temporaily stop construction on because of cost over runs? I believe it was LCS 3. I remember that the work stopage will be about 90 days.
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

bd popeye said:
That's the future of the surface US Navy. Mine counter measures, land attack. shore bombartment. Massive cruise missile attacks. ASW...Drug interdiction..etc...etc...

Jeff, Which LCS did the USN temporaily stop construction on because of cost over runs? I believe it was LCS 3. I remember that the work stopage will be about 90 days.
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It was LCS 3, USS Courage, which is Lockheed's next vessel that is supposed to be on the ways right now. Temporary stop to review and address cost over runs on LCS 1, Freedom.

These vessels, which are really the size of most nation's frigates, are going to be awesome vessels with a lot of capability and a lot of modernization and automation.
 
bd popeye

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
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Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

These vessels, which are really the size of most nation's frigates, are going to be awesome vessels with a lot of capability and a lot of modernization and automation
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Thanks Jeff!

My son saw a USN demo DVD on the LCS. Lets just say he was impressed. Most impressive to him is the module that will carry up to 200 cruise missiles. That comming from a sonar tech! I would love to see that disc. But I know it's classified.
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

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Registered Member
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

bd popeye said:
Thanks Jeff!

My son saw a USN demo DVD on the LCS. Lets just say he was impressed. Most impressive to him is the module that will carry up to 200 cruise missiles. That comming from a sonar tech! I would love to see that disc. But I know it's classified.
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Hmmm...interesting. If they have a module for 200 cruise missiles, and I am presuming VLS, then my guess is that they could have an awesome 200 Standard missile version for AAW, data linked to an AEGIS vessel in the group. Would that be awesome...2 or 3 of these vessels with one Burke in a CSG and you can forget saturation missile attacks.

Anyhow, just a thought. They are going to be extremly versatile and quickly configurable.
 
DPRKUnderground

DPRKUnderground

Junior Member
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

Why is the USB getting littoral warfare ships? The US Coast Guard is in dire need of new ships and the new cutters they've gotten need to go through repairs due to poor shipbuilding on the part of Northrop.
 
bd popeye

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
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Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

DPRKUnderground said:
Why is the USN getting littoral warfare ships? The US Coast Guard is in dire need of new ships and the new cutters they've gotten need to go through repairs due to poor shipbuilding on the part of Northrop.
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Those ships the USCG has now where not built by Northrup-Grumman. They only got into the shipyard business about 10 years ago.

The USCG is building a whole new fleet. That's old news.

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The USN LCS plan to operate these ships in foriegn waters close to shore for all the above reasons I stated. Look for some of these ships to be foward deployed in Japan and the Persian Gulf. Perhaps Bahrain....

Jeff, last year on Tv while I was visiting in San Diego I saw Rep(R-CA) Duncan Hunter just blubering over the LCS. He's the one that mentioned the LCS cruise missile module. My son did not give me much info about the ship. Other than. I paraphrase "That ship is on point"" It is the s**t" Or words to that effect....naturally he cannot give details.
 
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Jeff Head

Jeff Head

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Registered Member
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

DPRKUnderground said:
Why is the USB getting littoral warfare ships? The US Coast Guard is in dire need of new ships and the new cutters they've gotten need to go through repairs due to poor shipbuilding on the part of Northrop.
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I had not heard of repairs already being required. The second NSC being built by Northrop Gruman certainly has not been put on any kind of stop order to my knoweldge, which they would do if there werre such deficienceis in the first one.

The first National Security Cutter (NSC), USCGC Bertholf, was built at the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) Ingalls Operations in Pascagoula, Miss.

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Eight are planned to be built. They displace 4,300 tons, have a CODAG propulsion, are armed with a 57mm main gun, carry two helos, or up to four VUAVs, or a mix of one helo and two VUAVs, have a close in weapons system (RAM or VLS cells), are outfitted with a small boat package, and have enhancied interoperability between Coast Guard and US Navy.
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Construction Progress on USS Independence, LCS 2

bd popeye said:
Jeff, last year on Tv while I was visiting in San Diego I saw Rep(R-CA) Duncan Hunter just blubering over the LCS. He's the one that mentioned the LCS cruise missile module. My son did not give me much info about the ship. Other than. I paraphrase "That ship is on point"" It is the s**t" Or words to that effect....naturally he cannot give details.
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The more I hear about them, the better I am feeling about them. They will be blue water worthy, they will be optimized for the littorals, and they will be so versatile and configurable in quick order...with quite a punch.
 
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