Mission Package

Navy Rolls Out New Mine Warfare Mission Package

The Navy rolled out its new Mine Warfare Mission Package for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in a ceremony on Sept. 14 at the ARINC Engineering Services facility near Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City, Fla. Congressman F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (D-Fla.-2), leader of the Mine Warfare Caucus, Dr. Delores Etter, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, and James Thomsen, Program Executive Officer Littoral and Mine Warfare, all spoke at the event. "These mission modules will revolutionize warfighting in the littorals and will fill critical requirement gaps that exist in the fleet today. We urgently need them as we continue to fight the Global War on Terrorism," said Etter. "I am extremely proud to be here for the rollout of the first Mine Warfare Mission Package. This is a momentous occasion." The Mine Warfare Mission Package is composed of sensors, weapons, unmanned vehicle technology and aircraft to locate, identify and destroy mines. It is designed to allow the Navy to clear sea mines, land U.S. Joint forces on hostile shores and operate ships in coastal areas known as the littorals. The Mine Warfare Mission Package is modular, scalable and allows the Navy to stay ahead of the threat and assure safe passage for commercial and military vessels. The LCS seaframe hosts a single focused Mission Package to counter Mine Warfare (MCM), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) or Surface Warfare (SUW) littoral threats.

Navy Prepares Remote Minehunting System as Future Asset

The Navy completed technical evaluation and training of the Remote Minehunting System (RMS) aboard USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) in Panama City on July 28. The evaluation enables the Navy to continue training on the system, designed as part of the mine warfare mission package for the littoral combat ship. "This is all in preparation for the operational evaluation (OPEVAL) to be conducted in the South Florida Test Facility this September

The Littoral Combat Ship: Force Multiplier for the 21st Century

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a new ship design concept being considered to combat emerging threats in the littoral. It will be a relatively small, focused-mission combat ship that will revolutionize the way the U.S. Navy builds and fights ships. LCS, with its high speed, shallow draft, and maneuverability, will be optimized to serve as a force-multiplier for other larger, multi-mission ships. Old Problem/New Solution

Secretary of the Navy Recommends Way Ahead for LCS Program

The christening of the LCS-1. Based on a comprehensive review of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) acquisition program, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced March 15 that he is prepared to lift a previously issued stop work order for construction of LCS 3. The ship is currently under contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime Systems & Sensors unit, Moorestown, N.J. Lifting the stop work order is contingent upon the Navy and Lockheed Martin reaching agreement on a

Navy Awards LCS Contracts to General Dynamics and Lockheed

Photo Credit: Austal The Navy has awarded General Dynamics Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. the final design contracts that could lead to orders for the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Work’s contract is worth $79M, and Lockheed’s is valued at $47M. The LCS is an entirely new breed of U.S. Navy warship. A fast, agile, and networked surface combatant, LCS’s modular, focused-mission design will provide

Navy Announces Flight 0 LCS Contract Awards

Lockheed Martin Corporation – Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J. ($46,501,821) and General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine ($78,798,188) are each being awarded contract options for final system design with options for detail design and construction of up to two Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). "Today’s Littoral Combat Ship decision represents an important milestone for the warfighter and the acquisition team," said John Young

Feature: And Then There Were Two

The long-awaited awarding of the contract to construct the new series of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), a series that could total 60 ships worth $14 billion over 15 years, will have to wait just a little longer. However, the U.S. Navy in late May did pare the competition to two, with teams headed by General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works and Lockheed Martin Corporation - Maritime Systems & Sensors tapped to continue construction plans

Northrop Grumman Names Klein VP of M&TS

Northrop Grumman Corporation has appointed Robert W. Klein vice president of Maritime and Tactical Systems (M&TS). He manages both the diverse range of current products in the M&TS portfolio and the development of new products for this domestic and international market segment. Klein leads a team that integrates sensors, systems, platforms, weapons, and networks into unique products. It is developing and producing several systems that detect or destroy mines at sea or on the

USS Freedom Closer to Maiden Deployment

The Navy's first littoral combat ship (LCS), USS Freedom (LCS 1), has successfully completed another major milestone in preparation for her upcoming maiden deployment. Freedom conducted independent ship deployment training and certification at sea from Nov. 13-21, operating with ships from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Carrier Strike Group during their Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) off the southeastern coast of the United States.

Record Contract Awarded to Rapp Hydema

Rapp Hydema and Triplex were awarded a record-sized deck machinery contract for Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO). CSIRO selected Teekay Holdings Australia and Sembawang Shipyard Pte Ltd. to carry out  the design, build and commissioning of the vessel. Sembawang and Teekay appointed RALion (a joint-venture between Alion Science and Robert Allan LTD) to carry out the vessel basic design