25.09.2009
The US Navy inquired new budget for nearest five years providing cancellation of procurement almost half of littoral combat ships (LCS), being developed by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics corporations. As Bloomberg informs, the US Navy plans to buy only 15 ships of this type by 2015 instead of 29 planned last year.
The source specifies that by doing that the Navy will be able to decrease its total expenditure of the period on 4.5 %. That was the instruction of the US Department of Defense.
Currently, the long-term budget proposals of the Navy are being discussed in the Pentagon. This document along with budget on 2011 are planned to be presented to the White House.
Nevertheless, according to
Bloomberg, the Navy command declares that total strength of American ships is to be increased up to 313, while the military presently possesses 286 ships. The Navy has not also changed the final targets of Littoral Combat Ship Program providing procurement of 55 LCSs.
We recall that littoral combat ships are expected to be the most multifunctional among the US Navy and will perform different tasks from minesweeping to antisubmarine warfare and humanitarian operations.
Lockheed Martin's variant is a steel monohull ship with aluminum bulkhead, and
General Dynamics sees it like a triple-hull aluminum vessel. In the first stage both manufacturers have to construct two LCS each to compete and define the producer of more 15 vessels for the Navy.
Presently only
Lockheed Martin's LCS
Freedom was delivered to the customer. The
General Dynamics's LCS
Independence is still passing trials which were delayed due to technical problems.
Source:
