SSC design may be LCS based

Despite Chuck Hagel’s swiftly-announced resignation, the Defense Secretary will continue to “keep his foot on the pedal and moving forward” on such issues as the Small Surface Combatant (SSC) ship - a follow-on design review of the Littoral Combat Ship. Since early 2014, the Navy has been tasked to create a 20-ship class to replace LCS. SECDEF has been briefed on SSC, but hasn’t made a decision, but one is expected before January. Given the brevity of the SSC process, and costs of pursuing a totally new ship design, it appears the new design will be based on one or both of the current LCS hulls. (Source: USNI News, 11/25/14) Gulf Cost Shipbuilding Note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence class of LCS – one of two vendor-hulls still being constructed under existing Navy contracts.