DOD opts to upgrade LCS

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved Dec. 11 the Navy's plan to meet its requirement for 52 Small Surface Combatant warships by upgrading Littoral Combat Ship designs, by Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., and Lockheed Martin, instead of starting from scratch with more costly ones. SECDEF said he accepted Navy's recommendation to make the current designs more lethal and survivable by adding an array of missiles and radars. Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley said officials would hammer out details about the upgrades in coming months; and planned to finalize strategy for buying new ships in time for the FY 2017 budget. The next eight LCS would still be in the current configuration, although some upgrades could be added. Planned upgrades to existing LCS ships would add $60-to-$75 million - less than 20 percent - to the current cost, about $360 million in the latest signed contracts, he said. The Navy has 20 LCS ships under contract, plus options for four. The next eight will still be in the current configuration, but some upgrades may be added. The final 20 ships will carry the new equipment, with the first of those ships to be procured in FY-19. (Reuters, 12/11/14).