Lcs Mission News

The U.S. Navy needs more ships. And that means the Navy has to build more ships than it is decommissioning.The sea service has a stated a goal of 355 ships, and as many as 500 and more when unmanned platforms are counted. There are 298 ships in the fleet today. For surface ships, this number includes a high-low mix of highly capable large surface combatants, and smaller ships such as littoral combat ships LCS).The Navy’s smallest combatants are the 330-ton, 197-foot coastal patrol boats (PCs). Up until recently, ten of them have been serving in the Middle East with the U.S.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) has received a $21.6 million contract from the U.S. Navy for two additional Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission packages  As the mission package integrator, the company will deliver one mission package for surface warfare and one for mine countermeasures. The capabilities contained in the various mission modules directly support the three LCS primary missions – surface warfare, mine countermeasures and antisubmarine warfare. Mission modules facilitate modular mission package embarkation, mission package operations at-sea, and debarkation / logistics support. Northrop Grumman has delivered three mine countermeasures and three surface warfare mission modules for LCS.

The Surface Navy Association will hold its annual West Coast Symposium at Naval Station San Diego on August 21. The event will be held on the waterfront at Pier 2. Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command Rear Adm. Jim Loeblein will describe the dynamic maritime operational picture in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility. Closer to home, Vice Adm. Kenneth Floyd will share his views on the recently completed RIMPAC exercises around Hawaii and the west coast. Rear Adm. Jim Kilby, who recently took command of the newly established Naval Surface Warfare Development Center, will provide the Navy’s vision of tactics for the future. Capt. John Fuller, will provide an update on the littoral combat ship (LCS) mission modules.

Last month marked the launch of two new Littoral Combat Ships: Milwaukee (LCS 5) launched by Marinette Marine into the icy Menominee River; and Jackson (LCS 6) launched by Austal into the far warmer waters found off of southern Alabama. While the two LCS variants and shipyard climates are a world apart, this innovate U.S. Navy ship production program has the common goal of fortifying U.S. defense interests while spurring investment in the creation of two state-of-the-art ship production facilities. Mid-December in Marinette, Wis., can be described with one word: cold.

First of Austal’s ten-ship Littoral Combat Ship contract. On December 14, 2013, Austal USA successfully completed the launch of the future USS Jackson (LCS 6). The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. This vessel is the first of ten 127-meter Independence-variant LCS class ships Austal has been contracted to build for the U.S. Navy as prime contractor subsequent to a $3.5 billion block buy in 2010.

Northrop Grumman received a $25.2m contract from the U.S. Navy for additional Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules. The company will deliver three mission module packages - two for surface warfare missions and one for mine countermeasures. "Northrop Grumman continues to demonstrate that, as the mission package integrator, we are delivering high quality, fully integrated mission modules," said Doug Shaffer, director of information operations and electronic attack, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

Navy contracts have been awarded, amongst others, to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. to provide LCS mission modules, and to Electric Boat Corp. for Virginia-class submarine spare parts manufacture and procurement. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $25,272,171 modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-6311) to provide three mission modules, support containers and engineering and production planning services for mission packages that will deploy from and integrate with the littoral combat ship. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala. (48 percent); Portsmouth, Va. (30 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (18 percent); Manchester, N.H. (2 percent); and Hollywood, Md. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2015.

The Navy plans to buy 52 LCS in accordance with the long-range shipbuilding plan – continuing the remainder of the block buy ships through FY 2015 (up to hull number 24) and then starting the next procurement contract in FY 2016. To date, the Navy has taken delivery of USS Freedom (LCS 1) , USS Independence (LCS 2) and USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). There is and continues to be discussion on changes to the ships and mission packages. This is by design; explains the Navy, as the program is fundamentally about the ability to deliver changes and improvements to fielded capability.

Northrop Grumman Corporation received a $28 million contract from the U.S. Navy for engineering and production planning services for surface warfare and mine countermeasures mission module components that will deploy from, and integrate with, the littoral combat ship (LCS). With this award, Northrop Grumman continues its role as the mission package integrator with expanding roles in systems engineering, mission module production and mission package fleet sustainment, including distance support for the currently deployed USS Freedom (LCS 1).

Navy to occupy new office space by the end of October. This morning over 30 distinguished guests joined Austal and the Navy in celebrating the official opening of the new Navy Administration Building with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The guests were welcomed by Austal USA’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Craig Perciavalle. Other event participants included: Brian Leathers - Austal USA Interim President and CFO, Capt. Stephen W. Mitchell (USN) – Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast…

Mobile, Alabama-based Austal USA successfully launched the second 127-meter Independence-Variant Littoral Combat Ship, Coronado (LCS 4). In reference to the success of the Coronado launch, Joe Rella, Austal USA President and Chief Operating Officer, had this to say, “The success of this major milestone in the life of not only this vessel but of the entire Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program is a testament to Austal’s highly skilled craftsmen and women. Launch occurs when a ship is complete enough to safely be waterborne.

The Program Executive Officer, Littoral and Mine Warfare (PEO LMW), Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) and the Littoral Combat Ship Class Squadron (LCS CLASSRON) will unveil the Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Package Support Facility (MPSF) during a ceremony at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Oct. 16. The 42,400 square-foot MPSF will service the Navy's projected initial mission packages to be employed by LCS ships. Mission package maintenance and integration within the facility will be conducted by contractors secured by the Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules Program Office (PMS 420). LCS is a revolutionary new warship, designed for littoral warfare missions in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Warfare (SUW) and Mine Warfare (MIW).

The U.S. Navy today awarded a contract to a Bath Iron Works-led team for the construction of Coronado (LCS 4), the second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) to feature an innovative, high-speed trimaran hull. The 419 ft surface combatant ship, equipped with open architecture-based combat systems and computing environment developed by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, will be manufactured by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. It is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in May 2012. Bath Iron Works is a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD). The Littoral Combat Ship is a key element of the Navy's plan to address asymmetric threats of the 21st century.

The General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team (GD LCS Team) christened the LCS 2 Independence October 4, on the waters of the at the Austal USA shipyard. Present at the Christening Ceremony were over 1,000 guests and dignitaries. The Ship Sponsor was Doreen A. Scott, wife of the 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Terry D. Scott. She was joined by her daughter, Maid of Honor, Lauren A. Scott, but her daughter, Matron of Honor Ensign Lindsay Fatz, USN, was out of the country on orders.

In May, General Dynamics Robotic Systems delivered the first 11-meter Fleet class Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Surface Vehicle (ASW USV) to the U.S. Navy as part of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission package. General Dynamics said the ASW USV operates and supports payloads and sensor systems, including an unmanned towed-array sonar system and an active multi-static offboard low-frequency sonar system. It is aimed to provide a high-speed, high-payload capable craft with sea keeping characteristics…

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $12.5 million contract on April 28 to Harry Pepper & Associates, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla. for the design and construction of a Littoral Warfare Systems Facility at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla. The Littoral Warfare Systems Facility will be a center of excellence for research, development and integration of existing and future adaptive force packages. These modular and deployable packages will provide warfighting capability to nontraditional and unconventional maritime platforms within Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City Division's global maritime partnerships.

The Lockheed Martin-led Littoral Combat Ship team is continuing the development of its semi-planing seaframe design through a new series of tank tests that will prove the efficacy of several significant design improvements. The scaled hull model test program underway at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Bethesda, MD, will validate the improvements in the resistance, stability and sea keeping characteristics of the team's design. Working closely with naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and core team member Fincantieri, the Lockheed Martin team will optimize the LCS hull design that has already proven its capabilities in high-speed commercial service and in other technology demonstrations.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. is being awarded a $15.4m cost-plus-award-fee modification under previously awarded contract to exercise an option to provide integration services for mission packages that will deploy from and integrate with the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The contract comes from The Naval Sea Systems Command. This modification supports the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Module Program Office (PMS 420), Program Executive Office, Littoral and Mine Warfare. LCS Mission Packages will be optimized for flexibility in the littorals. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C. (43 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (32 percent); Panama City, Fla. (19 percent); Hollywood, Md. (2 percent); San Diego, Calif. (2 percent); and Dahlgren, Va.

The U.S. innovative, high-speed trimaran hull. environment, is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in July 2009. original contract was awarded in July 2003. of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). asymmetric threats of the twenty-first century. anti-surface warfare, particularly against small surface craft. usable payload volumes per ton of ship displacement of any U.S. one mission while a separate mission module is in reserve. Dynamics LCS's large flight deck sits higher above the water than any U.S. SH-60 helicopters or multiple unmanned vehicles. hull allows for flight operations in high sea conditions. become a future requirement. operating at sea. construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. environment -- another key factor in meeting the U.S. core mission system.

The Naval Sea Systems Command has exercised a $5.6m contract option for Alion Science and Technology, an employee-owned technology solutions company, to provide acquisition management support to its Program Executive Office Ships Acquisition Management (PEO Ships AM) Directorate. The option, which runs from June 1, 2007 through June 6, 2008, covers ship project directive (SPD) execution planning and financial execution; government furnished equipment (GFE) acquisition, delivery management and production management; configuration management; program management and Lean Six Sigma support; and business and financial planning. The contract runs for a total of five years, including a one-year base period and four, one-year options.

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.

and the U.S. ceremonies tomorrow in Panama City, Fla. being developed for the LCS. warfare. containerized and ready for installation and activation aboard any LCS. management grid. and surface warfare packages in 2008 and 2009. Dr. Delores M. for the event. senior company official at the ceremony. packages. that are developing and delivering the first several prototypes. as a "plug-and-fight" package. and with the greater Navy network in which the LCS functions. subsurface domains. They comprise warfighting capabilities (e.g. the operators. unmanned vehicle, a Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems product. 20 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall. mine countermeasures package. containers to be shipped to staging areas around the world. Littoral Mine Warfare.

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.