Mini Warship on the Way for Navy

[unhappycamper]

http://www.military.com/news/article/mini-warship-on-the-way-for-navy.html">Mini Warship on the Way for Navy
April 05, 2008
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

As the Navy moves forward with construction of a new type of smaller, speedy warship, a prototype from Manitowoc Co. will undergo sea trials on Lake Michigan as early as this month.

The 337-foot vessel, named Freedom, is nearing completion at the company's shipyard in Marinette. It is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy later this year.

"We still have quite a bit of ice around us on the Menominee River, but as soon as that goes away we are going to take her out on the lake" for tests, Robert Herre, president of Manitowoc Marine Group, said Thursday.

Wednesday, Navy officials said the warship project was back on track after the cancellation of two ships last year. The Navy, citing construction cost overruns, took the unusual step of terminating plans after the original target price, $220 million, soared to between $350 million and $375 million. And that didn't include the ship's combat mission packages, which cost about $50 million.

The Navy envisions a competition for the ship's final design. Once that is complete, it could buy 55 of the warships.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/mini-warship-on-the-way-for-navy.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. Is this the littoral combat ship? I thought that one was d-e-a-d. nt

[unhappycamper]

2. No - this is something else.

I'm doing a little research on this new boondoggle. It may or not be connected to the Deepwater program.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Please do. I'll ask around also. nt

[unhappycamper]

4. Apparently it is an LCS.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=552269

New jargon for the LCS --> mini warship.

[Captain Hilts]

5. That makes it sound much more formidable, doesn't it? nt