LCS reverse osmosis prototype

Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center completed tests in February on a “reverse osmosis” system prototype for Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The LCS Program Office will move forward with funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) for development of a hardened Reverse Osmosis Unit with filter pre-treatment capable of producing 4,000 gallons of water a day. Current ROU with LCS produce 2,000 gallons daily. The systems being developed for LCS will enable crews to have access to fresh water all the time, said NAVFAC EXWC commander Capt. Mark. K. Edelson. Water is a “key resource” for sailors; and the ability of these systems to convert seawater into fresh water takes on even greater importance in combat or deployed. The center expects to receive the hardened RO unit in the first quarter of FY 2017. The unit will eventually transition to a shipyard environment for a six-month test on a deployed LCS. Performance data from new units will allow the LCS program to proceed with upgrading the LCS water purification system. (Source: NAVFAC EXWC 02/27/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding and Maritime Note: Austal USA shipyards in Mobile, Ala., build one of the two LCS variants.