We need more systems like this that address today’s and tomorrow’s threats instead of overpriced and oversized answers to the last war. Small and maneuverable works in more places than the sea.
The U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a shallow-draft, fast, and maneuverable warship specially designed for dangerous coastal and harbor operations, will be a showcase of some of the most modern integrated systems for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and countermine operations when the first ship of the class takes to the seas in 2008.
The LCS will be able to deploy a wide variety of sensors for antisubmarine and countermine warfare from several flying, floating, and submersible manned and unmanned vehicles, as well as use conventional submarine- and minehunting systems to keep sensitive coastlines open for U.S. military operations.
The new ship has a helicopter deck and hangar capable of accommodating as many as two MH-60R/S helicopters, as well as a tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV), and will be able to launch and recover its aircraft in conditions as severe as 27-knot wind gusts and waves nearly 10 feet high.
This will fill a gap that has existed in Naval operations and increase the amount of support the Navy can provide to ground-based forces.
Glad not to see a lot of idle chatter about how much these will cost, indiviually or in total. This is important, unlike stuff like health care and education, so damn the cost to the taxpayers.
The Navy call them, pontoon craft. They are not referred by, amongst seamen, as ships. War ships take grievous damage from an enemy, and fight on. Poke a few holes through skiffs, especially in a swell, and they flip. The 27 knot wind gusts and 10 foot high waves are a quiet day on a beach – make that regular 50 metre swells and 160 kph Atlantic gales, and someone nautical might be impressed. Another personal gripe, forgive me, submarine crews are called submariners, not sailors. Submariners are fine and worthy sea warriors, but they have a different skill-set to square topsiders.
Just wanted to point out that the trimeran ship design pictured was the loosing design from Grumman. The Navy awarded the LCS work to the team led by Lockheed (which uses a monohull design. All the designs have great capabilities though we are long overdue for this kind of combat capability.
http://www.lmlcsteam.com/
#2
make that regular 50 metre swells and 160 kph Atlantic gales, and someone nautical might be impressed.
It’s not meant for open seas… The article says: …to bring the nation’s anti-submarine and countermine warfare capabilities to bear against terrorists as well as conventional foes in dangerous coastal waters.
I bet this boat is going to be so advanced, so powerful, so overpriced and so overhyped that it will only take a splotch of oil the size of a football to blind it’s sensors and a grenade on a stick to sink it.
#1…Ken….good point about the money. But if you can’t defend your country, the odds are you won’t need a whole lot of money for health care or education. This is not to excuse or condone the spending of huge sums on boondoogles and already outdated systems.
I was impressed with the whole article….but what stood out the most to me was the number of different companies that are involved in this work. It really gives you a great picture of just how much defense works money is spread around to all sections of the country and provides real jobs to so many people.
Actually, Ken, common defense is one of the few legitimate functions of a government. But of course, I subscribe to the Bastiat school of thought where government is involved.
#2,
If these ships were to be deployed and operated on the high seas, I would agree with your assessment. However, since these boats were designed to operate in coastal, delta, and harbor environments, your criticisms are invalid.
I made a reference to that in my post. We buy weapons systems that are state of the art, yet are too fragile/complex/bulky/costly/heavy/buggy to field and operate properly. For example, the Abrams is arguably the best armored vehicle in existence, but the war it was designed to fight ended almost a generation ago. We need better and more armored personnel carriers and light tanks to fight this and the next war.
We have the ships for the high seas already, but their utility is limited in a guerrilla war. Precision application of force is needed, hence the development of specialty craft. All you need is a barge to launch missiles (the Navy knows this too).
Turn one into a casino, park/dock it at an indian reservation (in or out of water, doesnt matter) and pay for the whole program. Tax free modern weaponry at its best.
I read each one of these boats is supportted by 4 V-22 Osprey’s.