LCS2 Independence, the high-speed trimaran combatant ship being constructed by shipbuilder Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, as part of the General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team, successfully completed a series of tests known as builder's trials on October 18 in the Gulf of Mexico. The trials included more than 50 demonstration events that rigorously test the ship and all of its systems in preparation for final inspection by the Navy before delivery.
Notable achievements during the trials included reaching a sustained speed of 44 knots during the required four-hour full-power run, with a top speed in excess of 45 knots.
Many of the test events were conducted in high sea-state and wind conditions (2.4 metre waves and winds in excess of 25 knots). Despite the weather, the ship repeatedly reached speeds of over 45 knots with propulsion and ride-control systems operating in full automatic mode, proving the effectiveness of the control systems and the highly efficient and stable characteristics of the trimaran hull form.
A series of high speed ahead and astern maneuvers in these sea state conditions proved the effectiveness of the ship’s four steerable water jets. During the repeated high-speed turns the ship demonstrated excellent agility and stability characteristics.
The ship’s flight deck remained stable despite sea state conditions and maneuvers.
The ship’s open architecture computing infrastructure (called OPEN CI), a highly flexible information technology backbone that integrates the ship’s combat, damage control, engineering control, mission package and other onboard computing functions, also proved its effectiveness during the trials. The OPEN CI ‘any display, anywhere’ capability was extremely valuable in enabling the LCS 2 crew to electronically reconfigure the bridge area and, at long range, the Core Mission System successfully detected, engaged and eliminated a simulated cruise missile attack by a small, fast-moving jet aircraft. In addition, the LCS 2 crew was able to access detailed performance and operation data from the bridge while the ship was operating, thereby providing them with real-time insight as to how the ship systems were performing.