LCS/Frigate schism heats up

There’s been little progress as to the direction of the Littoral Combat Ship-to-Frigate program since the Defense Secretary directed the Navy to cut 12 LCS and pick one builder. The Navy has basically ignored that direction. On March 15, the furtive schism spilled onto a Senate subcommittee’s hearing floor. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told lawmakers the program’s future would be made by the “next administration and by Congress,” not SECDEF Ash Carter. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) praised Carter’s decision to cut production. Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, where one of the two LCS variants is built, basically said it ain’t over until the fat lady sings. McCain railed about cost overruns, development and war-fighting mission packages falling behind schedule. Sessions picked McCain’s comments apart using Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. Mabus: The current cost per ship is “a good bit below” congressional cost caps – 50 percent below the first in-class ship. It’s unclear how the schism will play in Congress. McCain wields heavy influence, but the LCS program has its industrial base spread across all 50 states – with a potential coalition of support. (Source: US Naval Institute News 03/16/16) Gulf Coast note: The Navy previously planned to buy 52 small surface combatants – LCSs and follow-on frigates – and continue building ships at both Marinette (Wis.) Marine and Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., through the remainder of the program. Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., has assisted in the development and testing of the LCS mine-countermeasures warfare mission package. LCS 2 (Independence) has been testing the MCM package in the Gulf of Mexico over the past few months.