LCS cancelation puts program in doubt.
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Werner
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If I had to hazard a guess, this is an offering on the altar of the DDG-1000 program. Canceling the LCS after two ships it's going to be hard to cancel the remaining program, even though the destroyers will each wind up costing within pennies of a CVN. Quite a poor bargain considering what they offer in offensive power.
The LCS had severe shortcomings in range and other performance factors. Considering the operators were at a loss for it's employment, canceling is merciful.
The USN is very short of low-end ships like frigates. As a consequence, Burkes are out hunting pirates instead of escorting carriers.
As I said before, it seems the USN cannot buy a whaleboat for under a billion dollars. The LCS' budget was $460,000,000 per vessel for the fifth and sixth in production orders. That's about 1/2 to 2/3 of a Burke class destroyer for a ship with one 5.7cm gun, point defense missiles and a 900 nautical mile range. In comparison, the USN could buy European frigates for about US$ 90 million in a quantity buy.
US shipbuilding is broken. Best to let it die a merciful death and start a new, modern one based on the principles used in foreign practice.
FREMM
I wonder what the problem is with LCS-2. It has been on the ways for two years now. There must be engineering problems.
The LCS had severe shortcomings in range and other performance factors. Considering the operators were at a loss for it's employment, canceling is merciful.
The USN is very short of low-end ships like frigates. As a consequence, Burkes are out hunting pirates instead of escorting carriers.
As I said before, it seems the USN cannot buy a whaleboat for under a billion dollars. The LCS' budget was $460,000,000 per vessel for the fifth and sixth in production orders. That's about 1/2 to 2/3 of a Burke class destroyer for a ship with one 5.7cm gun, point defense missiles and a 900 nautical mile range. In comparison, the USN could buy European frigates for about US$ 90 million in a quantity buy.
US shipbuilding is broken. Best to let it die a merciful death and start a new, modern one based on the principles used in foreign practice.
FREMM
I wonder what the problem is with LCS-2. It has been on the ways for two years now. There must be engineering problems.
If an unfriendly power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war.
-- "A Nation at Risk" (1983)
-- "A Nation at Risk" (1983)
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Gone Asiatic
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Werner
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One key point which seems to be overlooked is that a warship cannot always choose her course based on comfort and safety. The USS Independence seems to be particularly vulnerable to damage when beating into a strong sea. Conditions in November off Iceland are very different than those in the Coral Sea.
I don't think the concern about foreign-builders is as large as we think. This ship is being built by Austel, Inc., an Australian company.
I don't think the concern about foreign-builders is as large as we think. This ship is being built by Austel, Inc., an Australian company.
If an unfriendly power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war.
-- "A Nation at Risk" (1983)
-- "A Nation at Risk" (1983)