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  • I found this article that mentions the construction status of DDG 1000 and DDG 1001. I can't wait to see what those two look like when they are complete. LCS, like it or not, is a reality and its almost a sure thing that we will see at least 24 of them built.

    Maritime Propulsion | U.S. Navy Shipbuilding -- Building the Future Surface Force



    U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Programs Underway to Build the Future Surface Force

    • Littoral Combat Ship – USS Freedom (LCS 1) and USS Independence (LCS 2) continue to prove their operational worth at sea through early deployment and a successful post delivery test and trials period, respectively. Fort Worth (LCS 3) launched in December 2010, and Coronado (LCS 4) is currently under construction; both are expected to be delivered to the fleet in 2012. The Navy awarded Lockheed Martin and Austal USA each a fixed-price incentive contract Dec. 29, 2010, for LCS 5 and LCS 6, each with options for nine additional ships, for a total of 20. This award leverages the highly effective competition between the bidders, and the affordable prices reflect mature designs, investment to improve performance, stable production, and continuous labor learning at the respective shipyards.

    • DDG 1000 – As of December 2010, 100 percent of the lead ship, Zumwalt, is under construction at Bath Iron Works and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding with approximately 30 percent of the ship complete. The second ship of the class, Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), started construction in early 2010 and is nearly 10 percent complete. These ships will operate as an integral part of joint and combined expeditionary forces.

    • DDG 51 – Three ships of the original 62-ship procurement are currently finishing construction, and two (USS Jason Dunham and USS Gravely) were commissioned in 2010. Continuation of production of this class started in 2010 with DDG 113 design, production, engineering work, and long lead material procurement.

    • LPD 17 – Five ships of the class have been commissioned, and four more ships are currently under construction, two of which have already been launched. Two ships remain to be contracted to complete this 11-ship class.

    • Joint High Speed Vessel – JHSV is a joint, Army-Navy program to deliver low-cost, high-speed, shallow-draft surface ships capable of rapid transport of cargo and personnel to areas without developed infrastructure. The first JHSV began construction in December 2009, and the second JHSV started fabrication in September 2010.

    • T-AKE – Ten T-AKE class ships have been designed, constructed, and delivered, and the final four ships of the class are currently under construction. These are the most flexible underway replenishment ships designed to date.

    • Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) – The MLP, based on the existing commercial design of the Alaska-class crude oil carrier, will provide capability for large-scale logistics movements from sea to shore. Developing this commercial design ensures development costs remain low. In August 2010, an advance procurement contract for the MLP was awarded, and construction is expected to begin in July 2011.

    • High-performance Boats and Combatant Craft – Successful execution of the Maritime Strategy requires the acquisition and construction of high performance boats and craft for the U.S. Navy, other government agencies and our foreign allies. Annually, more than 300 boats and combatant craft are built at more than 20 U.S. shipyards.

    Source: U.S. Navy

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    • F-22 was a reality too.

      Until it wasn't.

      One or two hulls laid down or in the water doesn't really mean much. Lots and lots of classes and major systems have been terminated long before even half the original order was completed.

      I'd trade every LCS planned for the originally planned F-22 fleet if I was emperor for a day.
      Last edited by Bill; 26 Jan 11,, 03:55.

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      • As mentioned before about the FFG's retirements and hull life, This is FFG-53 Hawes (LAMPS III) in Philadelphia. She just retired here in late 2010 after 25.8 years of service. The bow on the right belongs to the Ticonderoga (CG-47) also retired.
        Attached Files
        Last edited by Dreadnought; 26 Jan 11,, 05:58.
        Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

        Comment


        • Originally posted by Bill View Post
          F-22 was a reality too.

          Until it wasn't.
          24 LCS are going to be just as real as the 6 operational squadrons of F-22s are. After that, we'll just have to see.

          Comment


          • At the risk of sounding like a Denmark fanboy, let me just point out their idea of "modules", the Stanflex system:
            StanFlex
            Is this what's planned for the LCS? Cause this appears really modular and (relatively) simple to use.

            Disclaimer: no, I'm not in the pay of the Royal Danish Navy, or of their shipyards! :D

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            • I don't think so Dan, but if the USN buys 24 of these under-armed, overpriced speedboats, they're going to be stuck with them for a long time.

              I drive by the Ticos in the Philly yard all the time.

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              • It has to make one wonder if the OPH class is essentially worn out before thirty years, how long will the LCS jet ski's actually last? The LCS-2 has already had pitting issues in its jet drives.

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                • Originally posted by surfgun View Post
                  It has to make one wonder if the OPH class is essentially worn out before thirty years, how long will the LCS jet ski's actually last? The LCS-2 has already had pitting issues in its jet drives.
                  As far as the OHP class goes, some are worn, some are not. There are hull numbers older then 53 above still in service. It may have to do with what mods that have recieved and how much toll it has taken on the hulls. If you notice, the above pictured OHP is a LAMPS III version. Which means it recieved the maximum upgrades to sonar and other equipment aboard as well as two LAMPS III helos .
                  Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                  Comment


                  • 4 of my country's João Coutinho class corvettes, launched in 1970, are still working. And this after 40 years of hard work, including fire support and patrol during our colonial wars. So, good value for money ;)

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                    • Originally posted by jlvfr View Post
                      At the risk of sounding like a Denmark fanboy, let me just point out their idea of "modules", the Stanflex system:
                      StanFlex
                      Is this what's planned for the LCS? Cause this appears really modular and (relatively) simple to use.

                      Disclaimer: no, I'm not in the pay of the Royal Danish Navy, or of their shipyards! :D
                      This is an interesting picture a little patrol boat and its bigger brother frigate - perhaps a visual example of what Bill was suggesting?
                      File:F357THET+P561SKDN.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
                      sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
                      If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

                      Comment


                      • Pretty much exactly what i was suggesting.

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                        • A few problems with this:

                          A) The USN would still require more hulls since its coastlines are far greater in area and its International Ops reach further away from its shores then most world navies at present.

                          B) These boats can carry more firepower (in some cases according to the article) then the USN is willing to put aboard such a short boat. The USN and the Royal Danes clearly have two different roles in mind for their ships.

                          C) The USN already had ships comparable to these ships in many ways during the late 1960's such as the Asheville Class only they didn’t carry all of these options but did as much of the work as what these have. They carried all guns instead of million dollar missles. Two different philosophies here at work Naval wise on what types of ship are needed for their operations and for what span of time hull life considering. What works for the Danes isn’t going to work for the USN considering the amount of water each of the two navy's patrol.

                          This is one of the surviving Asheville Class Patrol boats from the Vietnam era.
                          This is PG-90 Canon. Not only is it close to the Danes design in length, width etc but faster and a more shallow draft. It’s also about 20 years older then the Danes version as well. So as we can see the Navy had already experimented with very fast (for its day) shallow draft patrol boats and its quite obvious that the USN wouldn’t use a heavily missile armed patrol ship for such purposes although the Danes have and do.

                          PG-90 Canon war record: Gunboat USS Canon (PG-90) - Virtual Globetrotting
                          Attached Files
                          Last edited by Dreadnought; 26 Jan 11,, 23:39.
                          Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                          Comment


                          • You still volunteering on the New Jersey Dreadnought?

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                            • Originally posted by Bill View Post
                              You still volunteering on the New Jersey Dreadnought?
                              Yep, Just a small part of the big team that keeps her going and looking good.;)

                              You still stealing cars in the middle of the night?;)

                              Been a long time, where have you been hiding?
                              Last edited by Dreadnought; 27 Jan 11,, 00:18.
                              Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by surfgun View Post
                                From what I understand both Zumwalt (by Bath Iron Works) and Michael Monsoor (by Northrop Grumman) are under construction now. The 155's for Zumwalt are about finished, while the guns for Monsoor are contracted out if they have not yet started them. DDG 1002 is authorized but remains unnamed.
                                (I posted earlier and it didn't show up, maybe a hiccup on this end, so trying again while also hoping the earlier post doesn't show up later)

                                My recollection is that the Zumwalt class was truncated when the Navy sought funding to restart the Arleigh Burke DDG-51s. The Zumwalts were truncated to two ships, and that was later increased to three. Ingalls picked up the initial builds for the AB DDG-51 restart, and BIW got the builds for all three Zumwalts.

                                If I am wrong in this, please correct me.
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