News
Work being undertaken includes fitting of new sections the Lockheed Martin design and US$375 million for the
of main propulsion shafts, improvements to shipboard General Dynamics design.
systems such as HP salt water, fresh water, scuppers, Under the new proposals the Defense Department was
and drains and sewage; extensive improvements in due to issue a request for proposals for one contractor to
accommodation including heads and bathrooms, provide three Flight 0+ ships; one of them already funded
provision of mess-decks in troop accommodation areas, for FY 2008 and the others funded for FY 2009. The
storage for troop equipment, an entirely refurbished and previous procurement strategy was based upon acquiring
reconfigured galley and increased food storage areas; two Flight 0 ships from each of the competing LCS teams
and equipping the ship with advanced communications led by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.
facilities and a better weapon defence system, as well as an The revision means either the former’s Mariette Marine
upgrade to the ship’s aviation support facilities to improve or the latter’s Austal USA will be selected early next
support to the Apache attack helicopter. year with a contract to be awarded in March 2009. The
Work began in September 2007, and ready for sea date new procurement strategy was agreed in mid-January
(RFSD) is set for August this year, when Ocean will depart following a major review.
on extensive sea trials. HMS Ocean was commissioned in The US Navy is still planning to order up to 55 ships by
1998. Her primary role is to carry up to 800 Royal Marine 2019 rather than 2016 and it is uncertain whether or not
Commandos supported by up to 18 helicopters and four this will be a ‘winner-takes-all strategy’ with a single design
Mk5 landing craft. Secondary roles include training, a selected, or whether production will be split between the
limited anti-submarine warfare role, and as a base for two competing designs. In addition to the new strategy
anti-terrorist operations. there is a separate proposal by the shipbuilders for what
they call a ‘fair and open competition’ system. This would
Contract allow the yards to build ships of either design.
Department of
The Office of the Secretary of Defense has made it clear
that a Milestone B review will take place before further
Defense saves LCS
ships are ordered in 2010. At this point it will consider
whether the one ‘sea-frame’ (hull) should meet the LCS
The US Defense Department has changed its procurement requirement and whether the ‘fair and open competition’
strategy for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in a last system should apply.
ditch attempt to save the much troubled programme. As The case for the Lockheed Martin design has been
Naval Spyglass reports, the LCS programme has run into strengthened by reports that Israel has issued a request
difficulties due to significant cost over-runs which have for proposals for two corvettes which could well be based
brought it to the verge of ruin, with unit prices rising on the LCS, with a mix of Israeli and American sensors
from a planned US$220 million to US$400 million for and weapon systems.
The Us Navy is re-structuring the LCs programmes in order to keep costs down.
Warship Technology May 2008 
WT May 08 - p4+5+6+7+8+10+11.ind5 5 23/04/2008 16:32:41
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