Speed up LCS upgrades

The Navy hopes to expand and speed up technological upgrades to its fleet of Littoral Combat Ships onto the existing fleet before 2019, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told lawmakers on March 4. Navy’s procurement plan calls for a new, more highly armed and survivable LCS variant, which will be called a Frigate (FF) by 2019. The final 20 ships in a planned buy of 52 LCS would be equipped with additional lethal and survivability technologies. (Source: Military.com 03/04/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding and Maritime Note: Austal USA shipyards of Mobile, Ala., builds one of the two variants of LCS. Mabus is a former governor of Mississippi.