Page 30: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2006)

By Edward Lundquist

The future of the U.S. Navy is taking shape today, hundreds of miles from any ocean. The first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Freedom (LCS 1) is being built at the Marinette Marine Shipyard in Marinette, Wis., on Lake Michigan.

Three years ago, a ship like this was just an idea. As the Navy recognized the need for capabilities to defeat asymmet- ric threats in the littoral, or coastal waters, of the world, studies and cam- paign analyses pointed to a sizeable number of fast, reconfigurable focused- mission combatants as the best solution.

After a competition evaluating multiple concepts and designs, two teams headed up by Lockheed Martin and General

Dynamics were chosen to build the first two LCS platforms.

For the first time, the Navy is develop- ing the basic "seaframe" hull apart from the modular combat capability, which will be switched out as operational requirements dictate. This flexibility makes LCS a focused-mission ship, able to take on the three most important mis- sions in littoral warfare: mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.

The Lockheed Martin (LMCO) team's

LCS is being designed by naval archi- tect Gibbs and Cox, based on the semi- planing monohull design of the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.

Fincantieri's high-speed yacht, with

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Circle 223 on Reader Service Card 30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

First Littoral Combatant Takes Shape in Midwest

Fairbanks Morse

Engines for LCS

Fairbanks Morse Engine recently delivered the second of two Colt-

Pielstick, 16-cylinder diesel engines for installation aboard the U.S.

Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). USS Freedom (LCS-1) will be the first LCS to join the Navy's surface fleet and is currently being produced by defense contractor

Lockheed Martin at Marinette

Marine Corporation in Marinette,

Wis. The ship is expected to launch summer 2006 and will be home port- ed in San Diego.

The two Colt-Pielstick 16-cylinder

PA6B STC engines manufactured by

Fairbanks Morse will provide more than 17,000 bhp for Freedom, and will propel the ship by operating independently or jointly with two gas turbines to drive four water jets.

Fairbanks Morse delivered the first

LCS engine in early January 2006. "These engines will provide eco- nomical, compact, dependable propulsion power for Freedom," said

Norlen Meton, LCS Program

Administrator at Fairbanks Morse

Engine.

Circle 27 on Reader Service Card

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