Potential freeze on LCS

U.S. lawmakers have frozen the construction of a pair of new Littoral Combat Ships – numbers 25 and 26 - until the Navy provides the House and Senate defense committees with specific analytical reports on the program, according to a newly released Congressional budget agreement. That agreement, as part of the National Defense Act for FY 2015 which Congress will vote on before Christmas, emerged from conference session between House and Senate committees responsible for passing the defense budget. The road block is the most recent in a string of controversies and disagreements – as to whether it’s lethal enough - on the future of the LCS program. The congressional agreement prevents the Navy from spending money next year on the LCS’ mission modules – surface, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare packages - until the Navy Secretary Ray Mabus submits a report establishing goals and scheduling information about acquisition and testing. (Source: Defense Tech, 12/03/14). Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Note: Austal USA shipyard at Mobile, Ala., builds one of the two competing variants of the LCS.