Upgraded LCS Starts Certification Trials

[unhappycamper]

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_01_28_2013_p14-535170.xml



The ($584 million dollar) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1) USS Freedom is scheduled to deploy in March for Singapore.

Upgraded LCS Starts Certification Trials
By Mike Fabey Aboard USS Freedom
January 28, 2013

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But neither Wilke nor the Navy brass sees clear sailing for the ship or the LCS program. The USS Freedom, commissioned in 2008 but beset by problems, must still resolve some issues before it can cruise to Singapore this spring for a 10-month deployment and prove its value as a surface combatant. Compressors have been giving engineers fits. The fire-control radar has been causing gun issues. And operation of the stern ramp and door has been creating problems.

Issues loom for the LCS program, as well. While Navy brass has been more transparent by detailing fixes for some of the ship's larger problems, service officials have made other revelations. While the Navy was clear about plans to build the first two LCS vessels as “operational research-and-developmental” ships, the brass did not effectively communicate this outside the Pentagon, says Vice Adm. Richard Hunt, who heads the LCS council of service admirals charged with shepherding USS Freedom to deployment and the program to success.

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The Navy's “operational R&D” branding of the LCS vessels (there are now three) appears to run adrift of earlier congressional testimony. Consider the March 10, 2009, testimony of then-Rear Adm. William Landay, program executive officer of ships, before the seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee: “There was a belief held by some in the Defense Department and the shipbuilding industry that we needed a different approach, one that allowed less conventional designs, greater use of commercial standards and focused on adapting systems available throughout the world instead of along the R&D effort.”

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One recent Navy acknowledgment is that while LCS vessels are only rated for Combat 1+ levels—lower than a tanker—they will, not surprisingly, face greater dangers due to their coastal mission. Congress may wonder if the Navy will have to rewrite its doctrine for all Level 1 combat ships or just tailor certain procedures for LCS.

[raidert05]

1. Horrible

Horribly designed ships,they are falling apart structurally, both of them are high speed looking on the outside, I've seen both designs inside and out in person nothing too impressive, I like cruisers personally then again I'm biased because my first ship was a cruiser, USS San Jacinto (CG-56) out of Norfolk, Virginia. Now she is sitting in FL in the yards after hitting that sub doing work-ups, my buddies onboard tell me it has been a nightmare.