VIDEO: Why This Is The US Navy’s Most Controversial Warship

Last updated on December 8th, 2022 at 01:29 pm

The U.S. Navy has invested billions in the Littoral Combat Ship. But with unsolved problems and a murky mission set, will this close to shore surface combatant remains a key part of the Navy’s strategy?

The USS Freedom — the principal Littoral Combat Ship, or LCS — was decommissioned after just 13 years in the armada. This move has all the earmarks of being at chances with the U.S. Naval force’s objective of developing a power of 355 boats.

The LCS is intended for coastal regions or water nearer to shore. Bigger boats experience difficulty working here, given the shallow water. In any case, motor issues, mission module issues, and the advancing condition of the world have placed the boat’s fate in rough waters, A few more seasoned Littoral Combat Ships are additionally being decommissioned because of the significant expense of redesigning them.

“The reality is, it’s a lose-lose situation. Each dollar you spend to keep those [LCS’] going is $1 you can spend on these other, I think, higher needs,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., director of the House Armed Services Committee.

To expand the vessel’s punch, the Navy has moved to add the Naval Strike Missile to a portion of the warships. It additionally chose to assign specific boats for explicit missions, conversely, with the speedy and swappable mission modules that were imagined when the boat was first planned.

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There are two variations of the Littoral Combat Ship: the Independence-class, an all-aluminum trimaran plan, and the Freedom-class, a more conventional steel structure with an aluminum superstructure.

“Freedom has been exceptionally effective sending abroad to Singapore, in you know, in China’s lawn,” LCS Squadron Two administrator Capt. David Miller said. “Beginning in late 2019, the Freedom-class continued in the [U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility].”

The Freedom-class was tormented by a motor issue that identified with the consolidating gear, an intricate piece of hardware that guarantees that the various motors on the boat can work together. The Navy and Lockheed Martin are attempting to fix the issue in ongoing boats that are holding on to be appointed into the armada, and those that still can’t seem to be built.

“We are running on target to will put that issue behind us and continue on with the eventual fate of the opportunity class,” Miller said.