Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)

after the criticism
Apr 11, 2017
... I won't post on the topic of this design until something official possibly appears, ...
... let me call
IMDEX Asia: Austal up-guns LCS to frigate standard
17th May 2017
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

to be official (LOL I know it isn't):
A new model of a trimaran vessel from
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
is on display that could be one of the designs on offer for the US Navy’s future frigate programme.

The frigate design uses the same platform as the Independence-class
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
(LCS) that the company has already built for the US Navy, but with increased lethality and greater multi-mission capabilities installed for sea control missions.

Austal states in its specifications that the frigate would displace 3,500t – just 200t more than the LCS – although its speed would likely be less than tthe 40kt of the latter. There are more berths for up to 130 personnel, but a smaller mission bay of 7,000ft² compared to the LCS, which has 18,000ft².

The frigate can also launch two 7m-long RHIBs in up to Sea State 3 and has a smaller hangar for just one H-60 helicopter and an MQ-8C UAS. The propulsion system is the same, but the real difference is in the combat systems and sensors.

Unlike the LCS, the frigate has electronic surveillance systems and a variable depth sonar in addition to the 3D search radar, two navigation radar and EO/IR systems. It also has a COMBATSS 21 combat management system, an AN/SQQ-89 undersea warfare system and an integrated bridge control system with automated machinery and damage control.

Armaments include the SeaRAM system, Mk110 57mm gun, six .50cal machine guns, Nulka decoys, two 25/30mm cannon, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles, torpedo countermeasures, two Mk41 launchers and 16 over-the-horizon missiles for an anti-surface capability.

Austal plans to capture cost efficiencies from its LCS version to reduce the potential price tag of the frigate while retaining some of the benefits of the trimaran design.

According to the company USS Jackson (LCS 6) just completed SeaRAM anti-air defence testing in April and USS Montgomery (LCS 8) completed final contract trials in March, before introduction to fleet operations.

The USN is conducting a study to see whether it can further enhance the LCS designs for its future frigate requirement including increased air defence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Meanwhile, Austal USA initiated its Singapore operations in January with the opening of an office near Changi Naval Base, and the US Navy announced three Independence-variant LCSs will be forward-deployed in 2018.
 

dtulsa

Junior Member
after the criticism
Apr 11, 2017

... let me call
IMDEX Asia: Austal up-guns LCS to frigate standard
17th May 2017
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

to be official (LOL I know it isn't):
It's an impressive design for sure and would be very welcome as a replacement for the current version my only question would she carry the SM 2 or SM6 the 6 I could assume would be preferred but I don't that much about the sensors required for it I do know it's a very impressive weapon for sure
 

dtulsa

Junior Member
... and according to me it's flawed, for the reasons I gave Apr 11, 2017
now I actually facepalm when I see the number(s) above: "a smaller mission bay of 7,000ft² compared to the LCS, which has 18,000ft²" ... yielding the advantage of two helos
I agree the loss of helo. Capacity is not desired but its probably the only way to get that much equipment in that particular design concept however many many ships go to sea with one or no Helios at all so I would be ok with that for increased ship offensive and defense capability
 
I've been criticizing the 'modularity' here since ...
Jul 25, 2015

...
"The underlying strength of the LCS lies in its innovative design approach, applying modularity for operational flexibility." says the USN web-page, and this is what I'll armchair-admiral now: If ...
(instead I've been proposing a versatile Frigate, as in Oct 9, 2015)

and now I became aware of "The Navy, meanwhile, plans to
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
on the concept of modularity in part to expand its fleet of ships to 355."
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


which apparently is the statement based on the articles
Navy Will Lean on Drone Ships, Modularity to Expand Fleet Size
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


and
CNO Richardson: Lessons Learned from Littoral Combat Ship on Modularity Will Guide Future Fleet Development
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


plus
Document: Chief Of Naval Operations’ White Paper, ‘The Future Navy’
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


let's wait and see
 
I agree the loss of helo. Capacity is not desired but its probably the only way to get that much equipment in that particular design concept however many many ships go to sea with one or no Helios at all so I would be ok with that for increased ship offensive and defense capability
well all this is connected to the CONOPS of the USN LCSs, which is unclear to me (and I probably read most of the available articles about LCSs LOL), and I would've hoped it had been clear to the USN itself ... specifically I could imagine the Independence subclass ships being tasked with ASuW (the internal space is huge, did you notice their beam is large as of many battleships :) ?) but with this proposal Yesterday at 9:21 PM ... OK I won't repeat myself
 
Top