Littoral combat ship
Ships of the United States Navy | |
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Ships in current service | |
Ships grouped alphabetically | |
Ships grouped by type | |
A littoral combat ship (LCS) is either of two classes of relatively small surface vessels designed for near-shore operations by the United States Navy. It was "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals",[1] although their ability to perform these missions in practice has been called into question.[2]
Littoral combat ships are comparable to
The first LCS,
In July 2017, the Navy released a request for information for a new multi-mission guided-missile frigate that can perform the same roles as the LCS while having better offensive and defensive capabilities. Almost any existing design that can be adapted to
Design features
The concept behind the littoral combat ship, as described by former
Most of the mission modules' functions are performed by carried vehicles such as helicopters or unmanned vehicles such as the
A 2010 report by the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E) found that neither design was expected to "be survivable in a hostile combat environment" and that neither ship could withstand the Navy's full ship shock trials.[20] The Navy responded that the LCS is built to a Level 1+ survivability standard and that the ships will rely on warnings from networks and speed to avoid being hit, or if hit be able to limp to safety.[21][22] ADM Jonathan Greenert said that the crew would "conduct an orderly abandon ship" if their ship was struck by enemy fire, an action that might not be necessary on other vessels in the same circumstances. The ships were designed to minimize vulnerability with modern automated damage control systems to perform its mission, then withdraw from the area under its own power.[23]
The combat abilities of the LCS were said to be "very modest" even before the cancellation of the XM501 Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System.[24] The Independence variant reportedly has better helicopter facilities and more internal space while the Freedom variant is said to be better able to launch and recover boats in high seas. Admiral Gary Roughead said that a mix of both types would be "operationally advantageous".[25]
In April 2012, Chief of Naval Operations Greenert said, "You won't send it into an anti-access area"; rather, groups of two or three ships are intended to be sent into areas where access is jeopardized to perform missions like minesweeping while under the cover of a destroyer. The LCS's main purpose is to take up operations such as patrolling, port visits, anti-piracy, and partnership-building exercises to free up high-end surface combatants for increased combat availability.[7] Navy Secretary Ray Mabus clarified that the ship could operate in combat areas while under the protection of other warships.[26] The LCS's utility against high-tech enemies would be when working with and being covered by destroyers, like they do with aircraft carriers. With destroyers providing extended air and missile defense, the cheaper (one-fourth the cost of a destroyer) and more numerous LCS can sweep for mines and deploy more sophisticated submarine-detecting sonar. Following the decision to arm the LCS with anti-ship missiles, Navy wargames showed the adversary's risk calculus was radically changed, devoting more reconnaissance assets to trying to locate the smaller ships and sustaining heavier losses.[27]
The ships are planned to have a 3:2:1 manning concept. That is three ship crews, and two hulls for each ship that is on station at any time. The other ship and other two crews who are not on deployment will either be preparing for deployment or in rotation in or out of theater. The result is a 50% reduction in ships and a 25% reduction in crews (and smaller crew sizes) than traditional deployment practices.[28] The ships were predicted to fall short in manning.[29] The Navy has deployed ships with berthing modules in the mission bays in order to carry the crew required for operations.[30][31][32] However, the ships are designed with sufficient headroom to change from 2-high bunking to 3-high bunking, which would allow crew sizes of 100 if needed.[33]
The LCS is the first USN surface combatant class in a generation to not use the Aegis Combat System, though Aegis-equipped variants have been offered to foreign customers.[34] They have suffered from problems in their communications and radars and will require refits in these areas.[35] Neither LCS class is able to defend itself effectively against anti-ship cruise missiles, which are commonly employed in the littorals,[36] although they can disperse in shallow waters better than larger warships.[37]
Mission modules
The LCS is reconfigured for various roles by changing mission packages, each of which includes mission module equipment (weapon systems, sensors, etc.), carried craft and mission crews.
In an announcement on 8 September 2016, the Navy revealed a radical change in operations and organization plans for the LCS. Of the 28 Flight 0 ships built or on order, the first four, two of each class, will be turned into training ships, and the remaining 24 will be divided into six divisions of four ships each: three divisions of the Freedom class based at
Surface warfare
In addition to the ships' organic weapons systems, the surface warfare package includes two 30 mm gun systems, a counter-boat missile system, two 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), and weapons deployed from MH-60 helicopters and MQ-8 Fire Scout UAVs.[44][45] The surface warfare mission module is intended to deal with small boats and is called the "best swarm killer in the surface fleet".[46] It includes two 30 mm gun mission modules manufactured by Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.[47] The Navy's proposed budget for FY 2015 includes funding for the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) for the first time.[48]
In January 2011, the U.S. Navy recommended the selection of
Norwegian company
In September 2015, the Navy issued a directive to install an OTH missile on Freedom and Coronado for their next deployments in early and mid-2016. The exact missile was not specified, but sources say it will be both the Harpoon and NSM, each ship equipped with only one model of missile. The directive calls for up to eight missiles, likely in two quad packs, to be installed on box launchers as a standalone system without requiring full integration into the LCS combat system.[60] On 19 July 2016, Coronado conducted a live-fire missile test of a Block 1C Harpoon missile; although the missile missed the target, the test validated the ability to launch Harpoon missiles from the forward deck of an LCS.[61] In May 2018, the Navy selected the NSM as the LCS's OTH missile.[62]
In January 2020, the Navy reported that a Lockheed Martin 150 kW
Anti-submarine module
The anti-submarine module had its focus changed from stationary to en-stride systems (while the ship is moving) that are useful in the open ocean as well as in coastal areas.
Submarine detection will be achieved on the LCS using a variable depth sonar (VDS) and the TB-37 MFTA. Both can passively listen or actively emit to analyze the returns.
A wargame held by the Naval War College demonstrated the possibility of using the LCS in open water operations to assist carrier strike groups and guided-missile destroyers. The LCS was found to be more useful in open water operations than previously considered. The wargame found that an LCS operating the ASW package could perform the mission, which freed up a destroyer that would normally perform the mission to contribute to the lethality of the strike group. Submarine hunting ability is increased by the combination of a destroyer's towed array and hull-mounted sonar and an LCS's VDS.[37]
In July 2015, the Navy awarded three contracts to reduce the weight of the package elements down to or below 105 metric tons total to meet mission package weight requirements. Since both elements are mature and fielded (the VDS on Royal Navy Type 23 frigates and MFTA on Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt-class destroyers), the systems cannot be overhauled, and other weight reduction ideas need to be implemented, such as lightening sensors and using composites in the handling system.[73] Plans for the package shifted dramatically in 2011 when it was decided not to use the RMMV, used in the MCM package, in favor of an "in stride" capability. The ASW elements were chosen as cost-effective COTS sensors, so weight reduction needs by between 15 and 25 percent have been planned for since their selection for integration onto the LCS.[74]
Mine countermeasure module
The Mine Countermeasure Module (MCM) is designed to provide minesweeping; remotely detecting and bypassing mines; and minehunting, detecting, and disabling. It was envisioned to perform "influence" minehunting via acoustic and magnetic signatures rather than contact or mechanical minehunting. The MCM includes the Airborne Laser Mine Detection system, the Airborne mine neutralization system, the AN/AQS-20A underwater towed sonar, the remote minehunting system, the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis system, and the Knifefish, a Surface mine countermeasure unmanned undersea vehicle. Canceled module features include the Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep System, and the Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System.[75] The final increment IV MCM will not have an EOD team or an in-stride capability to neutralize discovered mines; neutralization is preceded by post-detection mission analysis.[67]
The first increment of the MCM included three systems: the helicopter-deployed airborne laser mine detection system (ALMDS); the airborne mine neutralization system (AMNS); and the remote minehunting system (RMS) composed of the remote multi-mission vehicle (RMMV) paired with the AQS-20A sonar. The ALMDS detects mines near the top of the water, and the RMS will detect them below the waterline. To destroy mines, the AMNS is lowered by the helicopter and guided by an operator on board to neutralize it. Increment two will be the coastal battlefield reconnaissance and analysis system (COBRA) mounted on the MQ-8B to search beaches and surf zones.[72]
Increment three will involve adding the Fleet-class unmanned surface vessel (USV) with the unmanned surface sweep system (USSS), a cable towed behind the boat. Each LCS will carry two, and they will be used for both MCM and ASW. It will mimic the acoustic and magnetic signature of a ship to fool magnetic and influence mines into detonating; introduction is expected in 2017. The final increment will be the Knifefish unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to find and detect buried mines in 2019.[72]
In February 2016, the Navy announced they were halting procurement of the RMMV due to reliability issues, with the existing ten RMMVs to be upgraded to increase reliability.[76] The upgraded RMMVs will be fielded in 2018, and testing will be conducted to see if the Fleet class common unmanned surface vessel (CUSV) can tow the AQS-20A, and if successful will be used for minehunting by 2020. If the Knifefish UUV can have its endurance increased, the vessel will take over the mission from both systems.[77]
Irregular warfare and amphibious modules
The Navy included an irregular warfare package in its 2012 budget request to Congress.[78]
Californian congressman
In 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard began advocating the LCS as a tailor-made platform for drug interdiction missions. Under pressure from Navy vessels retiring, the Coast Guard will suffer a surface vessel shortage for intercepting smuggling ships in the Caribbean area, forcing the Navy to examine other platforms for drug interdiction. The Coast Guard noted that the LCS has previously performed this task, and pointed towards its high speed and embarked helicopters to run down fast smuggling boats; the Navy plans to base 10 Freedom-class ships at Naval Station Mayport, Florida which could be tasked to conduct interdiction missions.[83]
Development
In the late 1990s, the U.S. Navy realized its
The Navy committed to the $15 billion (2003) program in advance of rigorous analysis or clearly defined purpose, appearance, or survivability. Proponents typically pointed to its speed, asymmetric littoral threats, and impact on the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The LCS suffered from requirements creep, adding more missions and equipment, potentially rendering it too complex and expensive to use. When it was decided the ship would not be expendable, the original concept of a small, cheap, simple coastal warship became bigger, more expensive, and more complicated, with a smaller crew due to automation. The new design was assigned six different missions which had been previously performed by individual ships: submarine and mine hunting; combating small boats; intelligence gathering; transporting special forces; and counter-drug and piracy patrols. Each ship would be big enough to sail across the Pacific alone, embark a helicopter, have a minimum 40 knot top speed, and cost $220 million. The Navy was only willing to build one type of ship; the ship's task force, realizing that it would be virtually impossible for one vessel to fill all roles, advocated for a larger hull to cover the mission range through modularity, organic combat power, and unmanned systems. Empty space was left for weapon and sensor mission modules. When the first production contracts were awarded in 2004, no mission module worked outside of a laboratory. Fast, cheap construction was emphasized, solving problems with technology.[84]
In 2003, the Navy launched its first experimental LCS,
Operational history
Deployments and budget overruns
In 2007, the U.S. Navy canceled contracts to build LCS-3 of Lockheed Martin and LCS-4 of General Dynamics and Austal USA, citing failure to control
In April 2009, the Navy announced its revised procurement plan that three ships be funded in the FY 2010 budget; officials also hinted that the Navy may not down-select to one design for further orders, pointing out complementary features of the two designs.
The Congress asked the Navy to study improvement programs on existing ships in place of the LCS program. In June 2009,
In May 2012,
FY 2010 budget documents revealed that the total costs of the two lead ships had risen to $637 million for Freedom and $704 million for Independence.[109] On 16 January 2010, Independence was commissioned in Mobile, Alabama.[6]
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that deploying the first two ships will delay the overall program because these two ships were not available for testing and development so changes may have to be made in the second pair of ships during construction instead of in advance.[110] The U.S. Navy responded that "Early deployment brought LCS operational issues to the forefront much sooner than under the original schedule, some of which would not have been learnt until two years on."[111]
In 2013,
On 2 December 2016, it was reported that the GAO was critical of the LCS's ability to complete a navy requirement of 30 consecutive days underway without a critical failure of one or more essential subsystems. DOT&E Michael Gilmore states that the current LCS fleet "have a near-zero chance" of meeting this requirement.[116]
Building both designs
Instead of declaring a winner out of the two competing designs, the U.S. Navy in November 2010 asked the Congress to allow for the order of ten of each design.[117][118] U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) said that the change was made because both bids were under the Congressional price cap.[119] Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said that unlike the possibility of splitting orders for projects like KC-X or the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136, the Pentagon had already paid the development cost for both designs so there was no further development required for both designs and have them compete for future orders.[120]
In December 2010, the Government Accountability Office identified some problems with the designs including extremely long crew training time, unrealistic maintenance plans, and the lack of comprehensive risk assessment.[121] On 13 December 2010, both production teams extended their contract offers until 30 December in order to give more time for the Navy to push through the plan. The Navy would be forced to award the contract to only one team if it failed to secure Congressional approval. The Navy budgeted $490 million for each ship while the Congressional Budget Office projected a cost of $591 million for each ship.[122][123] Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley testified to a Senate panel that the actual price range was $440 to $460 million.[124]
A day before the offer's expiration, both Lockheed Martin and Austal USA received Navy contracts for an additional ten ships of their designs; two ships of each design being built each year between 2011 and 2015. Lockheed Martin's LCS-5 had a contractual price of $437 million, Austal USA's contractual price for LCS-6 was $432 million. On 29 December 2010, Department of Navy Undersecretary Sean Stackley noted that the program was well within the Congressional cost cap of $480 million per ship. The average per-ship target price for Lockheed ships is $362 million, Stackley said, with a goal of $352 million for each Austal USA ships. Government-furnished equipment (GFE), such as weapons, add about $25 million per ship; another $20 million for change orders, and "management reserve" is also included. Stackley declared the average cost to buy an LCS should be between $430 million and $440 million.[125] In the fiscal year 2011, the unit cost was $1.8 billion and the program cost $3.7 billion.[126]
In May 2012, Robert Work said that the two designs may each be best suited to different theaters, the LCS-1 design being better suited for the enclosed waters of the Middle East, while the LCS-2 design for the Pacific Ocean's open waters. In order to increase commonality, the Navy will force both types to use the same combat system electronics.[127]
The handoff from General Dynamics to Austal of management for the Independence class led to a 13-month schedule slip as the company struggled with building the
Operational issues
A 2012 report by Rear Admiral Samuel Perez, USN, found that the ships lacked the manpower and firepower to complete the missions required by regional combatant commanders. The report found that the LCS is "ill-suited for combat operations against anything but" small, fast boats not armed with anti-ship missiles. It also found that the excessive beam (width) of the trimaran Independence-class ships may pose a "navigational challenge in narrow waterways and tight harbors".[131] The report also found that the contractor-based maintenance scheme for the ships had led to poorly supervised and unaccountable contractors leaving problems unresolved. As contract workers are required to be American, they must be flown out to any foreign ports visited by an LCS.[132] A special panel was appointed to investigate "challenges identified".[133] Twenty more bunks were installed to allow for a larger crew.[134]
In 2013, Captain Kenneth Coleman, the U.S. Navy's requirements officer for the program, identified the LCS as being especially vulnerable to tactical aircraft armed with standoff anti-ship missiles.
At a hearing on 25 July 2013, the House Armed Services Committee's seapower subcommittee argued with Vice Admiral Richard W. Hunt on how the LCS would be employed if tensions with North Korea or China led to a confrontation in the Western Pacific. Hunt said the ships are designed in accordance with the Navy's survivability standards, and that the LCS would be used during the initial phase in the theatre and sense the environment before hostilities occur. Detractors claim the LCS is not survivable enough for long-range threats that China possesses; LCSs are built to the Navy's survivability category Level I+, higher than Level I patrol craft and mine warfare ships, but lower than the Level II Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate they are replacing. The Navy has said the LCS was designed to pull out of combat upon sustaining damage.[144] The baseline LCS seaframe designs, however, boast a better air and missile defense capability than the partially disarmed and now retired Perry class, which somewhat counters claims that LCS is "unsurvivable".[145] Other observers suggest that the ships' lifecycle costs and resilience challenges result from the optimal-manning concept, which increases the Navy's dependence on contractors and diminishes opportunities to monitor and repair engineering systems during operations.[146]
The deployment of USS Freedom was seen by the Navy as an opportunity to test the ship and operational concepts in the real-world. The Navy was about to conclude a war game at the Naval War College to examine ways of exploiting LCS capabilities in Western Pacific and other scenarios. Hunt added that the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission package would play an important role in protecting aircraft carriers and amphibious ships, and the mine countermeasures (MCMs) mission package would also provide necessary port security and waterway patrol capability following combat operations.[144]
A
Revised requirements and designs
A 2013 DOT&E report on the two LCSs raised doubts about their survivability, as they did not include features for sustained combat operations.[150] Concerned that the LCS would make up one-sixth of the Navy's 300-ship force, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel directed the Navy to submit alternative proposals for a versatile surface combatant comparable to a frigate.[151] Options considered included the Legend class in use by the U.S. Coast Guard, three Freedom-class variants of differing size, an Aegis-equipped version of the Independence class, and lastly, an American-built version of the Spanish Navy's F-100-class frigate.[150]
On 30 April 2014, the Navy issued two
Results from the Navy task force on LCS upgrades, capabilities, costs, and alternative options were completed by 31 July 2014 for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to review.[154][155] On 11 December 2014, Hagel accepted the Navy's recommendation to base the remaining 20 SSCs on more powerful versions of both existing LCS designs. The new SSC was planned to have an improved 3D air defense radar, air defense decoys, better electronic warfare systems, over-the-horizon anti-ship missiles, multi-function towed array sonar, torpedo defenses, additional armor, and less displacement than Flight 0 vessels.
The new SSC would now focus on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, with mine countermeasures handled by existing LCSs. It would retain the ability to carry mission modules and LCS mission package equipment, including 30 mm and 57 mm cannons, Hellfire missiles, 11-meter (36 ft) RHIBs, and the ASW variable-depth sonar. Other planned enhancements include spaced armor, installation of
This new SSC was projected to cost $60–$75 million more than a Flight 0 LCS, with procurement beginning by 2019. Hagel also directed the Navy to study which improvements could be fitted to completed and incomplete LCSs.[9][156][157][158][159][160][161][162] This new design would decision prioritize surface and submarine defenses over anti-aircraft or missile defense, which would be left instead to large surface combatants. Contrary to industry submissions and advice from naval experts, vertical launch systems were not included in the new designs for reasons of weight and cost.
In January 2015, the Navy announced that the up-gunned LCS would be reclassified as a frigate. Hull designations were changed from LCS to FF, including LCSs back-fitted with modifications.[10] The Navy planned to start upgrading existing and incomplete LCSs before 2019.[163] To free up weight for the new systems, the frigates removed LCS equipment that was no longer needed, such as the handling equipment needed to launch and recover the RMMV for the MCM mission package.[164] To accommodate the changes while using the same hull designs, the original LCS high sprint speed was dropped. The LCS' two 11-meter RHIBs were replaced with two 7-meter equivalents.[165]
A report released in September 2015 indicated that the first 24 ships would retain the basic design principles of the LCS program, with upgrades where needed. This group would be considered "Block 0" and also retain the "LCS" designation, for the time being. Ships 25 through 32, "Block 1" would include significant upgrades and design changes, inline with the intended capabilities of the last 20 ships of the total 52-ship procurement, these being the new "Frigate" class. The new frigates would be larger, with increased defensive and survivability capabilities.[166]
Reduced procurement and early retirement
On 14 December 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter ordered the Navy to reduce the planned procurement of LCS and FF ships from 52 to 40, and down-select to one variant by FY 2019. The intent of this cut was to reallocate funds to other priorities, including buying more
In February 2020, media reports stated that the U.S. Navy proposed to retire the first four LCSs in 2021 as part of a cost-savings measure. If approved, these would have been USS Freedom and USS Fort Worth from the Freedom class, and USS Independence and USS Coronado from the Independence class. [168][169][170]
On 18 June 2021, Naval News reported that, in a report to Congress, the Navy planned to inactivate Fort Worth, Coronado, Detroit and Little Rock in Fiscal Year 2022 and put them on the Out of Commission in Reserve (OCIR) list.[171] In the final budget Congress forbade the Navy from retiring the three Freedom class ships in Fiscal Year 2022.[172] By May 2022, the Navy shifted its plans to decommission nine LCS warships in Fiscal Year 2023, citing their ineffective anti-submarine warfare system, their inability to perform any of the Navy's missions, constant breakdowns, and structural failures in high-stress areas of the ships.[173]
Foreign sales
Saudi Arabia and Israel both expressed an interest in a modified version of the Freedom variant, the LCS-I,[174] but Israel dropped out of this project in favor of a new frigate design to be built in Israel.[175] Interest by Saudi Arabia in LCS continues however. Media reports indicate that Saudi Arabia could buy two to four ships of Lockheed Martin's Freedom-class LCS variant as part of the Saudi Arabian Naval Expansion Program II—a program to modernize the nation's oldest warships operating in the Persian Gulf.[176] On 22 May 2017, as part of an arms deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the acquisition of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships based on the Freedom-class LCS was announced.[177]
In October 2010, the Taiwanese navy showed interest in procuring U.S. littoral combat ships, to replace aging Knox-class frigates.[178] In November 2023, Taiwanese media reported that Taiwanese navy was planning to procure littoral combat ships with support from the Legislative Yuan. However, the Taiwanese Navy denied the plan.[179] According to analysts, the probability of introducing LCS to Taiwan was low due the incompatibility with existing naval infrastructure and combat system, high maintenance requirement, high cost of sustainment, and the possibility of introducing propaganda opportunity for China considering LCS's poor reputation.[180]
Japan will design its own version of the Independence class.[181] The warship concept was unveiled in the defense trade-show MAST Asia 2017.[182]
The Royal Malaysian Navy has also built its littoral combat ship based on the Gowind-class design, named Maharaja Lela-class frigate.[183]
List of littoral combat ships
As of December 2019[update], a total of 35 littoral combat ships is planned, including 16 Freedom-class ships and 19 Independence-class ships., Florida.
Hull | Name | Variant | Commissioning | Decommissioned | Homeport | Builder | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LCS-1 | USS Freedom | Freedom | 8 October 2008 | 29 September 2021 | n/a
|
Marinette Marine
|
Decommissioned 29 September 2021 in San Diego, CA[189] |
LCS-2 | USS Independence | Independence | 16 October 2010 | 29 July 2021 | n/a | Austal USA | Decommissioned 29 July 2021 in San Diego, CA[190] |
LCS-3 | USS Fort Worth | Freedom | 22 September 2012 | Naval Base San Diego | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-4 | USS Coronado | Independence | 5 April 2014 | 14 September 2022 | n/a | Austal USA | Decommissioned 14 September 2022 in San Diego, CA[191] |
LCS-5 | USS Milwaukee | Freedom | 15 November 2015 | 8 September 2023 | n/a | Marinette Marine
|
Decommissioned 8 September 2023 in Mayport, FL[192] |
LCS-6 | USS Jackson | Independence | 5 December 2015 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | Scheduled to be decommissioned in 2024.[193] | |
LCS-7 | USS Detroit | Freedom | 22 October 2016 | 29 September 2023 | Philadelphia Navy Yard
|
Marinette Marine
|
On hold at NISMF pending foreign military sale |
LCS-8 | USS Montgomery | Independence | 10 September 2016 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | Scheduled to be decommissioned in 2024.[193] | |
LCS-9 | USS Little Rock | Freedom | 16 December 2017 | 29 September 2023 | Philadelphia Navy Yard
|
Marinette Marine
|
On hold at NISMF pending foreign military sale |
LCS-10 | USS Gabrielle Giffords | Independence | 10 June 2017 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-11 | USS Sioux City | Freedom | 17 November 2018 | 14 August 2023 | n/a | Marinette Marine
|
Decommissioned 14 August 2023 in Mayport, FL[194] |
LCS-12 | USS Omaha | Independence | 3 February 2018 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-13 | USS Wichita | Freedom | 12 January 2019 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-14 | USS Manchester | Independence | 26 May 2018 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-15 | USS Billings | Freedom | 3 August 2019 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-16 | USS Tulsa | Independence | 16 February 2019 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-17 | USS Indianapolis | Freedom | 26 October 2019 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-18 | USS Charleston | Independence | 2 March 2019 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-19 | USS St. Louis | Freedom | 8 August 2020 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-20 | USS Cincinnati | Independence | 5 October 2019 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-21 | USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul | Freedom | 21 May 2022 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-22 | USS Kansas City | Independence | 20 June 2020 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-23 | USS Cooperstown | Freedom | 6 May 2023 | Naval Station Mayport | Marinette Marine
|
||
LCS-24 | USS Oakland | Independence | 17 April 2021 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-25 | USS Marinette | Freedom | 16 September 2023 | Marinette Marine
|
|||
LCS-26 | USS Mobile | Independence | 22 May 2021 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-27 | USS Nantucket | Freedom | Marinette Marine
|
||||
LCS-28 | USS Savannah | Independence | 5 February 2022 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-29 | USS Beloit | Freedom | Marinette Marine
|
[195] | |||
LCS-30 | USS Canberra | Independence | 22 July 2023 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-31 | USS Cleveland | Freedom | Marinette Marine
|
[196] | |||
LCS-32 | USS Santa Barbara | Independence | 1 April 2023 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | [195] | |
LCS-34 | USS Augusta | Independence | 30 September 2023 | Naval Base San Diego | Austal USA | ||
LCS-36 | USS Kingsville | Independence | Austal USA | [197] | |||
LCS-38 | USS Pierre | Independence | Austal USA | [197] |
Note: The Navy has yet to place orders for 17th, 18th, and 19th Freedom-class variants. Should that occur, they will be entered on this list as "LCS-33", "LCS-35", and "LCS-37".
See also
- Sea Fighter (FSF-1), experimental USN littoral combat ship
- Project 22160-class patrol ship
- Gowind-class corvette
- Braunschweig-class corvette
- Holland-class offshore patrol vessel
- Kamorta-class corvette
- Khareef-class corvette
- Tuo Chiang-class corvette
- Type 056 corvette
- La Fayette-class frigate
- River-class patrol vessel
- MEKO or "littoral combatant ship"
- Milgem-class corvette
- Sigma-class corvette
- Doha-class corvette
- Fleet class USV – An unmanned surface vessel designed to be carried by the LCS, and used for MCM & ASW.
- iRobot Seaglider– UUV tested for use with Persistent Littoral Undersea Surveillance (PLUS) prototype system.
- Juliet Marine Systems Ghost, a proposed replacement for the LCS
References
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- ^ Ben Brimelow (1 December 2017). "Russia's new missile laden-ships shouldn't worry NATO commanders". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Here is Why the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships Punch below Their Weight | the National Interest". Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
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- ^ a b "LCS Couldn't Survive War With China, But It Could Help Prevent It: CNO". defense.aol.com. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- ^ Cavas, Christopher P. (19 January 2014). "Navy, Pentagon battle over LCS future". navytimes.com. Gannett Government Media. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ a b Osborn, Kris (11 December 2014). "Hagel Approves Navy's Proposal to Build More Lethal LCS Variant". military.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
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Further reading
- Sapien, Joaquin (7 September 2023). "The Inside Story of How the Navy Spent Billions on the "Little Crappy Ship": How the Navy Spent Billions on Failed Littoral Combat Ship Program". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
External links
- Official U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship Class Fact File
- GAO criticizes cost overruns First two LCSs to exceed budget of $472 million by more than 100 percent.
- Press Release from Lockheed Martin Corporation on the launch of LCS-1 Freedom.
- Defense Industry Daily LCS info, pictures, timeline, links to pages about LCS robot vehicles.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070623104736/http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/
- Littoral combat ship at Curlie
- Official Austal website
- Press Release issued from the Department of Defense relating to the Stop Work order.
- General Dynamic LCS cutaway view painting
- Lockheed Day In The Life video
- Lesson on How Not to Build a Navy Ship
- Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Pictures Archived 7 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Pictures at DefenceTalk
- Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) News News at DefenceTalk