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Freedom-class littoral combat ship

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Freedom-class littoral combat ship
Freedom shows off her new camouflage scheme on sea trials in February 2013 before her first deployment
Class overview
Builders: Lockheed Martin
Operators: United States Navy
Preceded by: None
Cost: $670.4 million[1]
Built: 2005–
In commission: 2008–
Building: 1
Planned: 16
Completed: 16
Active: 10
Retired: 5
General characteristics
Type: Littoral combat ship
Displacement: 3,000 t (3,000 t) (full load)[2]
Length: 378 ft (115 m)
Beam: 57.4 ft (17.5 m)
Draft: 12.8 ft (3.9 m)
Installed power: Electrical: 4 Isotta Fraschini V1708 diesel engines, Hitzinger generator units, 800 kW each
Propulsion: 2 Rolls-Royce MT30 36 MW gas turbines, 2 Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, 4 Rolls-Royce waterjets
Speed: 47 knots (87 km/h; 54 mph) (sea state 3)[3]
Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[4]
Endurance: 21 days (336 hours)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 11 m (36 ft) RHIB, 40 ft (12 m) high-speed boats
Complement: 15 to 50 core crew, 75 with mission crew (Blue and Gold crews)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • EADS North America TRS-3D air and surface search radar[5]
  • Lockheed Martin COMBATSS-21 combat management system[5]
  • AN/SQR-20 Multi-Function Towed Array (As part of ASW mission module)[6][7]
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • Argon ST WBR-2000 ESM system
  • Terma A/S SKWS decoy system[5]
    • Armament:
  • 1 AGM-176 Griffin[8] (modified to function on a ship)
  • 1x BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm gun, 400 rounds in turret and two ready service magazines with 240 rounds each.[9]
  • 4x .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
  • 2x 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II guns
  • One Mk 49 launcher with 21x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile Surface-to-Air Missiles
  • Other weapons as part of mission modules
    • Aircraft carried:
  • 2x MH-60R/S Seahawk
  • MQ-8 Fire Scout
    • USS-Freedom-rear-130222-N-DR144-367

    Freedom in Feb 2013 showing her large helideck & the RAM launcher on the hangar.

    US Navy 090928-N-7241L-232 The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) conducts flight deck certification with an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Sea Knights of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22

    An MH-60 Seahawk helicopter approaching USS Freedom in 2009

    The Freedom class is one of two classes of littoral combat ship built for the United States Navy.[10]

    The Freedom class was proposed by Lockheed Martin as a contender for USN plans to build a fleet of small, multipurpose warships to operate in the littoral zone. Two ships were approved, to compete with the Independence variant design offered by General Dynamics and Austal for a construction contract of up to 55 vessels.

    As of 2014, two ships are active and a third is under construction. Despite initial plans to only accept one of the Freedom and Independence variants, the USN has requested that Congress order ten ships of each variant.

    Planning and construction[]

    Planning for a class of small, multipurpose warships to operate in the littoral zone began in the early 2000s. The construction contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin's LCS team (Lockheed Martin, Gibbs & Cox, Marinette Marine, Bollinger Shipyards) in May 2004 for two vessels. These would then be compared to two ships built by Austal USA to determine which design would be taken up by the Navy for a production run of up to 55 ships.

    On 15 April 2003, the Lockheed Martin LCS team unveiled their Sea Blade concept based on the hull form of the motor yacht Destriero.[11][12]

    The keel of the lead ship USS Freedom was laid down in June 2005, by Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin.[13] She was christened in September 2006,[14][15] delivered to the Navy in September 2008, and commissioned that November.[16] During INSURV trials, 2,600 discrepancies were discovered, including 21 considered high-priority.[17] Not all of these were rectified before the ship entered service, as moving the ship away from Milwaukee before the winter freeze was considered a higher priority.[18]

    Cost overruns during Freedom's construction combined with projected future overruns led the government to issue a "Stop-work" in January 2007 and ultimately led to the cancellation of construction of LCS-3 (the second Lockheed Martin ship) on April 13, 2007.[19] This ship was later re-ordered.

    After much inconsistency on how testing and orders were to proceed, in November 2010, the USN asked that Congress approve ten of both the Freedom and Independence variants.[20][21][22]

    Design[]

    The ship is a semi-planing steel monohull with an aluminum superstructure. It is 377 feet (115 m) in length, displaces 2,950 metric tons, and can go faster than 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph). The design incorporates a large reconfigurable seaframe to allow rapidly interchangeable mission modules, a flight deck with integrated helicopter launch, recovery and handling system and the capability to launch and recover boats (manned and unmanned) from both the stern and side.

    The flight deck is 1.5 times the size of that of a standard surface ship, and uses a Trigon traversing system to move helicopters in and out of the hangar. The ship has two ways to launch and recover various mission packages: a stern ramp and a starboard side door near the waterline. The mission module bay has a 3-axis crane for positioning modules or cargo.[23] Problems with the ramp and boat handling equipment are the most serious problems with the Freedom class.[24]

    The fore deck has a modular weapons zone which can be used for a 57 mm gun turret or missile launcher. A Rolling Airframe Missile launcher is mounted above the hangar for short-range defense against aircraft and cruise missiles, and .50-caliber gun mounts are provided topside. The Fleet-class unmanned surface vessel is designed for operations from Freedom variant ships.[25]

    The core crew will be 40 sailors, usually joined by a mission package crew and an aviation detachment for a total crew of about 75. Automation allows a reduced crew, which greatly reduces operating costs, but workload can still be "gruelling".[26] During testing of the class lead, two ship's companies will rotate on four-month assignments.[27]

    Four 750-kilowatt Fincantieri Isotta-Fraschini diesel generators provide 3 megawatts of electrical power to power the ship systems.[28]

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that fuel will account for only "8 percent to 18 percent" of the total life-cycle costs for Freedom.[29] Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama has called the report into question and has suggested that the Independence, built in his state, would be more fuel efficient and that less frequent refuelings would have an impact on military operations beyond the cost of fuel.[30]

    In 2012, a Navy cybersecurity team found major deficiencies in Lockheed's Total Ship Computing Environment, which controls the entire ship in order to reduce crewing requirements.[31][32]

    Survivability has been a criticism of both the Freedom and Independence classes, rated at level one by the Navy, compared to level two for the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates (FFG) they were designed to replace. Lockheed claims the Freedom class is actually more survivable than the FFGs because Navy requirements for various survivability levels have changed since the FFGs were assessed, and because the Freedom class hulls are made of high-strength, low-weight steel that was not previously available.

    Milwaukee was the first Freedom-class ship to be fitted with cavitation performance waterjets (Rolls-Royce Axial-Flow Waterjet Mk-1). The jets create partial vacuums in liquid using an improved impeller blade design. Cavitation jets do not increase the ship's top speed, but deliver 10% greater fuel efficiency with less noise and vibration, reduced lifecycle costs, improved maintainability, increased availability, and potentially improved efficiency at lower speeds. In 2014, the Navy announced plans to add these waterjets to every Freedom variant that is produced. The mixed-flow design was changed to an axial design to push water parallel to the shaft of the impeller.

    The first ships of both LCS classes were delivered before the designs were mature so that improvements could be built into future ships. Many improvements to the Freedom class came from the problems experienced by Freedom (LCS-1) on the ship's first deployment, including power outages, corroded equipment, and a faulty air compressor. To prevent water from being taken into the anchor windlass room, the anchor winch, hydraulic unit, and mooring capstan were replaced with a single electric chain winch on the main deck, and the existing towing chain was replaced with a lighter chain.

    Corrosion resistance was also improved by the impressed-current cathodic protection system being modified by adding protections to the water-jet inlet tunnel. Adjustments to the Freedom class, starting with LCS-3, saw the stern transom lengthened and buoyancy tanks added to the stern to increase weight service and enhance stability. Plans were adjusted to see a significantly less complex gas-turbine electric start system added on LCS-5 to reduce costs and lower ship weight.

    Starting with LCS-17, the Freedom-class ships will be equipped with the TRS-4D naval radar. The TRS-4D is an AESA radar built by Airbus Defence and Space that is similar to the one on German F125-class frigates, the difference being the Freedom class will have a rotating version instead of a fixed panel, the first AESA rotating radar aboard a U.S. Navy ship. It is a three-dimensional, multifunction naval radar combining mechanical and electronic azimuth scanning that delivers increased sensitivity to detect smaller targets with greater accuracy and faster track generation.

    Engine maintenance incidents[]

    As of November 2016, three of four active Freedom-class ships had suffered maintenance incidents involving the engines and/or associated propulsion hardware. Milwaukee broke down in the Atlantic Ocean in December 2015 and had to be towed back to port. Metallic debris was found in the filter system. The cause was traced to a clutch between the gas turbine and diesel engine systems, which failed to disengage as designed while switching from one propulsion system to the other.

    Fort Worth suffered a similar breakdown in the Pacific Ocean in January 2016. Improper procedures used aboard ship caused a set of combining gears – hardware used to transfer power to the ship's water propulsion system – to be operated with insufficient oil. And in July 2016, Freedom suffered a seawater leak into one of her two main diesel propulsion systems and had to return to San Diego for seawater decontamination.

    Transmission design defect[]

    The Freedom class has experienced severe issues with its transmission, specifically, its combining gear, a system described as "generally unreliable", yet one that needs to be engaged for reaching the speeds over 12 knots (22 km/h). After Little Rock suffered a breakdown of its combining gear early in 2020, Detroit had to limp back to port in Mayport, Florida in October 2020 from a deployment to South America after suffering another breakage of the combining gear.

    In January 2021, the Navy halted deliveries of Freedom-class ships due to a design flaw of the ship's combining gear. The Navy, Marinette and the firm that designed the combining gear, Renk AG, were working on an upgrade to address the issue. The Navy announced that, once the upgrade is complete, new deliveries will resume. The Navy predicted it would take months to implement the upgrade to ships already in active service. Commissioning of LCS-21, Minneapolis-St. Paul was thus postponed.

    The combining gear problem was later fixed and applied to LCS-19 St. Louis and all follow-on ships. LCS-11, 13, 15 and 17 have all begun undergoing repair work or are scheduled to do so. The cost for fixing the defective combining gear is estimated to be between $8 million and $10 million per ship.

    Ships[]

    See also: List of littoral combat ships of the United States Navy

    Ships in class[]

    Ship Hull Number Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Status
    Freedom LCS-1 2 June 2005 23 September 2006 8 November 2008 29 September 2021 Decommissioned
    Fort Worth LCS-3 11 July 2009 4 December 2010 22 September 2012 Active in service
    Milwaukee LCS-5 27 October 2011 18 December 2013 21 November 2015 8 September 2023 Decommissioned
    Detroit LCS-7 11 August 2012 18 October 2014 22 October 2016 29 September 2023 Decommissioned, on hold for potential foreign military sale
    Little Rock LCS-9 27 June 2013 18 July 2015 16 December 2017 29 September 2023 Decommissioned, on hold for potential foreign military sale
    Sioux City LCS-11 19 February 2014 30 January 2016 17 November 2018 14 August 2023 Decommissioned
    Wichita LCS-13 9 February 2015 17 September 2016 12 January 2019 Active in service
    Billings LCS-15 2 November 2015 1 July 2017 3 August 2019 Active in service
    Indianapolis LCS-17 18 July 2016 18 April 2018 26 October 2019 Active in service
    St. Louis LCS-19 17 May 2017 15 December 2018 8 August 2020 Active in service
    Minneapolis-Saint Paul LCS-21 22 February 2018 15 June 2019 21 May 2022 Active in service
    Cooperstown LCS-23 14 August 2018 19 January 2020 6 May 2023 Active in service
    Marinette LCS-25 27 March 2019 31 October 2020 16 September 2023 Active in service
    Nantucket LCS-27 9 October 2019 7 August 2021 16 November 2024 Active in service
    Beloit LCS-29 22 July 2020 7 May 2022 23 November 2024 Active in Service
    Cleveland LCS-31 16 June 2021 15 April 2023 Fitting out

    Surface Combat Ship[]

    Lockheed Martin has offered an Aegis Combat System-equipped variant for national missile defense radar picket use to a number of Persian Gulf states.[33][34]

    The Surface Combat Ship will be offered to Saudi Arabia as part of the 2011 arms deal.[35][36] The total cost for the eight ships is reported to be as much as $5 billion.[37]

    In 2012, Lockheed renamed the SCS to match GD's Multi-Mission Combatant term and revealed that the full capabilities, such as Aegis, would only be available on a stretched 3,500 ton hull.[38]

    Lockheed has also been working on a trimmed down version of the Freedom combat system to offer on the international market for smaller patrol vessels.[39] This Multi-Mission Combat Ship adds in phased-array radar and a vertical launch system on a smaller hull with a smaller crew size, at the cost of removing the high speed gas turbines and one third of the mission module area.[40]

    References[]

    1. ↑ http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_05_09_2012_p0-456237.xml
    2. ↑ Littoral Combat Ship datasheet
    3. ↑ Refueling tops list of LCS crew challenges
    4. ↑ "LCS Littoral Combat Ship". http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/factsheet.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-20.  [dead link]
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) High-Speed Surface Ship". www.naval-technology.com. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/littoral/. Retrieved 2 May 2010. 
    6. ↑ AN/SQR-20
    7. ↑ Littoral Combat Ship at the Joint Meeting INTERNATIONAL HYDROFOIL SOCIETY SNAME Panel SD-5
    8. ↑ AGM-176 Griffin
    9. ↑ Surface Warfare Mission Package Capabilities
    10. ↑ "US Navy Fact File: LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP CLASS - LCS". http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4. Retrieved 8 June 2012. 
    11. ↑ Ross, Ken. "Lockheed Martin LCS Team Introduces Sea Blade Concept for Navy's LCS Program." Lockheed Martin, 15 April 2003.
    12. ↑ "LCS Brochure"
    13. ↑ Onley, Dawn. "Lockheed Martin to build advanced Navy ship". Government Computer News. http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/31385-1.html. Retrieved September 23, 2006. 
    14. ↑ "First Littoral Combat Ship Christened". Navy News. http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,114781,00.html?ESRC=dod-bz.nl. Retrieved September 28, 2006. 
    15. ↑ "Lockheed Martin Team Delivers Nation's First Littoral Combat Ship to U.S. Navy". http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080918/neth118.html?.v=2. Retrieved 2008-09-20.  [dead link]
    16. ↑ http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=40822
    17. ↑ Ewing, Philip, "Navy: InSurv recommends accepting LCS 2", Military Times, December 9, 2009.
    18. ↑ GAO-09-326SP Assessments of Major Weapon Programs, page 106
    19. ↑ Cost Growth Leads To Stop-Work On Team Lockheed LCS-3 Construction
    20. ↑ Sessions, Jeff "Sessions comments today regarding the Navy's proposal to purchase additional Littoral Combat Ship" Office of Jeff Sessions, 3 November 2010
    21. ↑ "US Navy said to buy LCS warships from both bidders" Reuters 3 November 2010
    22. ↑ Cavas, Christopher P. "Navy asks Congress to buy both LCS designs" NavyTimes, 4 November 2010
    23. ↑ "Nation’s First Littoral Combat Ship Demonstrates Key Mission Package Launch And Recovery System". Lockheed Martin. 2007-10-11. http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2007/101107_LCSDEMONSTRATESKEYMISSIONPACKAGE.html. 
    24. ↑ "Redeeming Freedom -- Changes for the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship."
    25. ↑ Sobie, Brendan (August 24, 2010). "AUVSI: Making a splash". Flightglobal. Reed Business Information. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/auvsi-making-a-splash-346474/. Retrieved 2012-04-20. 
    26. ↑ "Duty Aboard the Littoral Combat Ship: ‘Grueling but Manageable’". http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2010/September/Pages/DutyAboardtheLittoralCombatShip%E2%80%98GruelingbutManageable%E2%80%99.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
    27. ↑ Jones, Meg (5 November 2008). "Navy's Vessel Of Versatility". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/33947284.html. 
    28. ↑ USS Freedom demonstrates its power plant can handle vessel’s sensors and electronics
    29. ↑ Life-Cycle Costs of Selected Navy Ships
    30. ↑ CBO Report Calls into Question Navy’s LCS Evaluation
    31. ↑ Capaccio, Tony (23 April 2013). "Littoral Combat Ship Network Can Be Hacked, Navy Finds". Bloomberg News. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/littoral-combat-ship-network-can-be-hacked-navy-finds.html. Retrieved 24 April 2013. 
    32. ↑ Lawlor, Maryann (December 2005). "Littoral Combat Ship Launches Change". SIGNAL Online. AFCEA International. http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=node/1055. Retrieved 24 April 2013. 
    33. ↑ Lockheed Martin pitches light warship concept for Gulf radar picket
    34. ↑ LCS International brochure
    35. ↑ Wolf, Jim. "Saudis ask U.S. for price quotes for warships." Reuters, 8 April 2011.
    36. ↑ "Surface Combat Ship Designed as a Multi-mission Ship."
    37. ↑ "Lockheed proposes $5bn Aegis ships sale to Saudi Arabia." Bloomberg News, 26 May 2011.
    38. ↑ "Lockheed Martin offers LCS-derived Multi-Mission Combatant."
    39. ↑ "BAE and Thales plot course for smaller warships to fight pirates."
    40. ↑ "China Shipbuilder Calls for Greater Cooperation with U.S. Firms."

    External links[]

    Template:Literal translationtoral combat ships


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