Question about LCS- the loosing contender

Shame on me 😎

So you are human and not an encyclopedia after all 😛

Its a travesty to name that frigate “Independence”! Name goes from a supercarrier to a………….:mad:

Steady on mate, these ships are revolutionary in all aspects of the naval service; Their design, then crewing, their role even their employment. I had some friends on CV-62 and they are proud that the name has lived on and that it’s gone to such an important vessel as this!

They both look like awesome ships so my vote would make them both winners. I would build 27 LCS-1 Freedom Class ships for the Atlantic fleet and build 27 LCS-2 Independence Class ships for the Pacific fleets.

A split build may still be on the cards mate, both vessels do have their own unique quallities: 1 has the shallower draft where as 2 is more flexible with organic air operations! It’s interesting to see the costings release of LCS3 and 4- the Austral vessel costs less, is bigger yet has the same crew numbers, can handle two helo ops (up to MH-60 sized) on flight deck at the same time and provides more room for mission modules or more importantly can interchange mission modules in far less time than the rival.

The Air Force should have done this with the YF-22 and the YF-23 and put both fighters into service.

If you ask me, the USAF needs it’s head read on the YF-23 contention- it should have won hands down! But that’s for the Air Force section, this is the navy section.

They both look like awesome ships so my vote would make them both winners. I would build 27 LCS-1 Freedom Class ships for the Atlantic fleet and build 27 LCS-2 Independence Class ships for the Pacific fleets.
The Air Force should have done this with the YF-22 and the YF-23 and put both fighters into service.

Its a travesty to name that frigate “Independence”! Name goes from a supercarrier to a………….:mad:

Shame on me 😎

Related non-us example: Triton

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/trimaran/

So, trials with a friendly navy may be a possibility, so is sale to a foreign service or transfer to a US-sister service. Sale to a US commercial pary might also be possible, the vessels can then be loaned/rented back by US government services. I can also see the loosing contender joining the small fleet of USN X-craft and/or ending up supporting e.g. special forces ops. Or they may just be retired at some point and stored or disposed of (see e.g. what happened to the Pegasus class PHMs patrol hydrofoils and PC-1 Cyclone class coastal patrol ships, or some the the more recent mine counter measures ships)

Shame on you Wan: you forgot to mention that RV Triton is now in Australian Customs service as ACV 90 Triton and slightly modified. She now has two .50cals mounted on her and has traded some of her Ballast for extra room to house people caught doing illegal things in our EEZ (see in the pic, the tents for and aft of the main structure).

As for your comment about where they may end up- I really thing the USCG would love these vessels in their service- they already have the weapons systems in place so logistics and supply won’t be an issue (remember that the 56mm gun is new to the USN but has been in USCG service for a good many years now). Should the USCG gain the LCS 1 type, then ops closer to shores of drug lords with DEA support would be more realistic.

Related non-us example: Triton

In August 1998, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to Vosper Thornycroft to construct the Trimaran, called RV (Research Vessel) Triton. The vessel was launched in May 2000 and delivered in August 2000. Triton then began a two-year risk reduction trials programme for the UK MOD and the US Department of Defense.

Following completion of the trials programme, Triton has been used as a trials platform for other QinetiQ technologies including the composite propeller.

In January 2005, Triton was sold to Gardline Marine Sciences, a UK company based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Triton will be used for hydrographic survey work for the Civil Hydrography Programme (CHP) on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The vessel is being fitted with a sensor suite which includes the Kongsberg Simrad EM1002 multi-beam echo-sounder, a GPS attitude / heading system, surface navigation and ultra-short baseline sub-surface acoustic tracking system, Gardline Voyager5 integrated survey system and Caris post-processing system.

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/trimaran/

So, trials with a friendly navy may be a possibility, so is sale to a foreign service or transfer to a US-sister service. Sale to a US commercial pary might also be possible, the vessels can then be loaned/rented back by US government services. I can also see the loosing contender joining the small fleet of USN X-craft and/or ending up supporting e.g. special forces ops. Or they may just be retired at some point and stored or disposed of (see e.g. what happened to the Pegasus class PHMs patrol hydrofoils and PC-1 Cyclone class coastal patrol ships, or some the the more recent mine counter measures ships)

…
I know that the Israeli’s are interested in the LCS-1 version for service there

They lost interest when they saw the price. They’ve been talking to the Germans about Meko corvettes/light frigates recently.

[Edit]Colombamike beat me to it!

What I’d like to know (and I am sure I have asked this before) is, what will happen to the two vessels of the loosing class (don’t forget that LCS’s 3 and 4 are now being built).

– Probably intensively used for tests (endurance, seakepping, shock test…), very useful for preparing (feedback) the next generation of warships…2020’s…
– Used a REAL DEMONSTRATOR for the manufacturer/shipbuilder (which, despite the failure in the us navy program, will show that the ship is REAL, not just a drawing on power-point)

after that, maybe a leasing in the us navy or us coast guard ?

I know that the Israeli’s are interested in the LCS-1 version for service there and that the Saudi’s and a few others are interested in the LCS-2 version- so who ever looses out on the US market, they will gain in the Middle East. But what will happen to these two that are in service with the USN, will they be transferred to the USCG or will they be sold off for service over seas?

The Israelis are not longer interested in the LCS
– Too expensive
– Too lightly armed (in its basic version) 😀
– And even much more expensive and with some concerns (stabilities of the ship, Endurance) for a more heavily armed version (with mini-aegis, VLS, SSM…)

The Israelis are currently in negotiation with Germany for the purchase of corvettes MEKO. (The Israelis would try to get even for vessels paid partially by the German…)

For the saudi’s
– The economic crisis probably an effect (delay) in its new programs aquisitions
– The Saudis are waiting to see the final choice of the us navy…
– Other competitors are in ambush (DCNS FREMM, FM400, German Meko…)

I’m pretty sure Israeli has cooled because of the cost, haven’t they transferred interest to MEKO corvettes now?