Navy plans to bulk-up LCS

The Navy is moving forward with plans to increase the firepower and other capabilities of its Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) designed to improve lethality and survivability, Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin VP of small combatants and ship systems, said Jan. 17. The plans are to equip LCS with the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), an over-the-horizon anti-ship missile made by a Norwegian company along with Raytheon, that DePietro described as having a "long-range surface-to-surface capability that exceeds what the Harpoons (missiles) can do today on current surface combatants." The Navy also plans to add the Surface Electronic Warfare Information Program’s (SEWIP) Block 2 electronic surveillance sensors and MK 53 Decoy Launching System to protect the ships against inbound missiles. DePietro said the Navy is planning to place the NSM on all LCS platforms, starting with those slated to deploy in 2020. The Navy plans to commission 32 LCS. LCS is built in two variants. The Independence is built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. Freedom is built by Lockheed and Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin. There are seven Freedom and nine Independence variants now with the fleet. Upgrades will go on both variants. Sixteen LCS have been delivered. Ten LCS are under construction; and three are in the pre-construction phase. No LCS deployed in 2018 due to maintenance issues. The Navy plans to deploy three in the fall. (Source: Military.com 01/23/19)