Littoral Combat Ships

[ChrisV71]

So, LCS-18 will be Charleston, but LKA-113 is still on the NVR and as far as I know hasn't had it's name cancelled.

Secretary of the Navy to host ship naming ceremony for USS Charl - WCBD-TV: News, Weather, and Sports for Charleston, SC

[surfgun]

Magic: LCS into a Frigate

CRYSTAL CITY, VA. – The modified Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class will be designated as frigates, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced on Thursday at the Surface Navy Association 2015 symposium on Thursday.

The name change follows the December decision by the Navy to up gun the existing LCS classes for the last 20 of the service’s 52 small surface combatant requirement as part of an almost year-long study directed by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD).

“One of the requirements of the Small Surface Combatant Task Force was to have a ship with frigate-like capabilities. Well, if it’s like a frigate, Let’s call it a frigate?” Mabus said.
“We are going to change the hull designation of the LCS class ships to FF. It will still be the same ship, the same program of record, just with an appropriate and traditional name.”

As the existing Flight 0 LCS are modified and back fitted with additional capabilities, they could earn the FF label, he said.

Mabus said the name change came after consultation with Navy leadership, including Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition (RDA). Mabus said he often had confusing conversations about the LCS ship class.

“It’s not an ‘L’ class ship,” he said.
“When I hear ‘L’ I think amphib, so does everybody else.”

The FF designation for the LCS will be the first of a planned set of nomenclature changes for other ships classes as well that will come in the coming weeks, Mabus said.

He mentioned the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB), the Mobile Landing Platform and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) in his remarks.

As for the now Fast Frigate class, the up gunned variants are moving forward are set to be acquired starting in Fiscal Year 2019, will add about $50 to 60 million in weapons, sensors and armor to beef up the existing Flight 0 Austal USA Independence and Lockheed Martin Freedom class designs which are now being built for about $500 million a hull on average.

Navy leaders have highlighted the new ships will have an emphasis on anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare borrowing some of the modularity of the Flight 0 LCS designs.

The Navy is set to deliver an acquisition strategy to the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) in May and an analysis if some of the modifications can be back fit on to the existing LCS designs.

SNA: Modified Littoral Combat Ships to be Designated Frigates - USNI News

[gunnut]

A "frigate gap?"

Should we bring back the corvette and the sloop as well?

[gunnut]

End Of The 'Ghetto Navy' Is In Sight As Last USN Frigate Cruise Begins

Tyler Rogoway

Saturday 9:00am

It is a bitter sweet moment in the annals of US Naval history-the USS Kauffman FFG-59, has set sail on its last cruise, which will also be the last time any US Navy Frigate does so. Once she returns in six months, after almost 40 years of service, the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates will be officially retired, signaling an end of an era for US Navy.

The Perry Class became the red headed stepchild of the Navy Brass a long time ago, with their abilities being overshadowed by glitzy AEGIS capable destroyers and cruisers. As a result, the ships have been starved of funding and major upgrades over the last couple of decades turning them into what some call the 'Ghetto Navy.'

The Perry Class lost their area air defense capability well over a decade ago, with the SM-1R missile needing upgrades along with the ship's combat systems to keep viable. Of course the money was not allocated for this upgrade so their rotary missile magazines were removed and their Mk13 single arm missile launcher turrets were welded over and a chain-gun was tacked on in their place.

In retrospect, this was an incredibly stupid idea as other nations have not only efficiently upgraded the Perry Class's sensors and combat information system but they have also upgraded the Mk13 launch system and magazine to accept powerful SM-2 'Standard' surface-to-air missiles. Not only that, but Turkey's G-Class has also added an eight cell Mk41 Vertical Launch System to their ex-Perry Class frigates, giving them a whopping 32 long-range SM-2s Standard missiles and 32 ultra-modern and deadly Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM). Even a set of RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile tubes were added to this US tuned Turkish frigate to give them a long-range over-the-horizon anti-ship punch. In essence, an upgrade like the G-Class gives these ex-Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates the capabilities of a pocket destroyer, one that can safely escort a flotilla and provide area air defense even in an intermediate threat environment.

While the FFG's air defense capabilities were being needlessly neutered even though cheap upgrade options existed, other key systems aboard these stout ships continued to age as the class was starved of up upgrades. Thus sailors assigned to FFGs were known as much for their MacGyver-like problem solving and fix-it skills as for their ability to excel in combat, which was something those who served aboard these cramped and run-down ships were very prideful of. In their minds, being in the 'Ghetto Navy' may suck in some ways, but at least they were 'real sailors' not systems managers.

As the final frigate is retired, the tight-knit and tinkering crews the 'Ghetto Navy' will feel like they are in an alien world aboard some of the ships that intend to replace the Perry Class. In the place of these 'tin can' surface combatants will be the Navy's troubled Littoral Combat Ships and the way more expensive and complex Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyers.

The LCS in particular is about as anti-Ghetto Navy as it gets, where a minimally manned crew concept focuses the ship's compliment on simply operating the vessel, leaving major upkeep and fixes to specialized maintenance teams back in port. In addition, the FFGs were meant to take hits and keep on fighting, yet the lightly armored Littoral Combat Ships are built out of thin aluminum instead of the heavy steel armor found aboard the FFGs. Additionally, the majority of the Littoral Combat Ship's operations are computer controlled, which is a far cry from the analogue, almost WWII-like heavy construction and human interfaces of the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates.

In all, 51 Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates were built in the last 40 years and many continue to serve with nations around the globe after being sold or donated by the US under the surplus Foreign Military Sales program. The Kauffman will be no different. Once she returns from her six month deployment to Southern Command's area of responsibility, where she will work to interdict drug smuggling as part of Operation Martillo, she will be decommissioned and prepared for sale.

Sadly, with the retirement of the Oliver Howard Perry Class Frigates, the very concept behind their initial inception, one that was ahead of its time technologically, will die with them. Originally, these ships were built as small but very stout surface combatants that could escort ships under their anti-aircraft and anti-submarine umbrella of protection. They could keep up with the Carrier Group or they could be detached on their own deployments to low and medium threat environments. The fact that they packed a pair of multi-mission helicopters made them all that much more deadly, a capability that even some modern destroyers lack today. Yet the missile and sensor technology of the time was lacking and by the time the Guided Missile Frigate concept could be incredibly effective, with the small but deadly Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile being an ideal fit, it was deemed too expensive to upgrade the ships. I mean hey, they are just lowly frigates right? The truth of the matter is that the Navy had its eyes set on what is now widely considered a failed concept, the toothless and vulnerable Littoral Combat Ship.

Yet today, many defense anyalysts and journalists, including myself, think that the exact mission set that the Oliver Hazard Perry Class was designed for is what the Navy desperately needs. A true multi-role Frigate, with good range and survivability, that can protect itself and the ships in its purview even against a capable foe, while also being able to conduct a whole slew of missions. The ability to escort other ships through a threat area, or even sustain a hit from the enemy, is something the Littoral Combat Ship was never built for, nor are even the upcoming enhanced versions of the original LCS design going to be capable of such feats. The fact of the matter is that a proper air defense capable frigate could offer the independence of operation that the Navy needs right now and it could take some of the area air defense burden, especially in low and medium threat environments, off the over-taxed and extremely expensive Guided Missile Destroyer fleet.

In the end, the retirement of the Oliver Hazard Perry Class, the Navy's last operational frigate, and the story of their proud careers even though the Navy never really invested in them to make them all they could be, is a story of a job well and done and a follow-on opportunity missed. This is especially true when you look at the ambiguous, lightly armed and fragile ships that are going to at least attempt to partially replace these fighting ships.

To put it as frankly as possible, it is sad that this article is not about how the last Perry Class is setting sail for its final cruise but a new, more effective, survivable and versatile ship will replace them. Or at the very least, a ship that can defend itself and the ships it escorts from aerial threats. In retrospect, even an upgraded Perry Class Frigate, similar to the Turkey's G-Class, would be a superior alternative to the Littoral Combat Ship in many respects and it would have cost a lot less money.

Regardless of her successors, here's to you FFGs and all those who served aboard them under some pretty grueling circumstances. You guys deserved better but you did wonders with what you had, turning sweat, knuckle skin, kerosene, oil and gunpowder into missions accomplished. Bravo.

By mid summertime, the US Navy will only be served by a single frigate, the 218 year old USS Constitution.

End Of The 'Ghetto Navy' Is In Sight As Last USN Frigate Cruise Begins

How much truth is there to his opinion?

How effective would it be to put money into newer OHP hulls and upgrade them with Mk 41 launcher in place of the Mk 13?

How much more survivable is the OHP compared to the LCS?

I am of the opinion that older hulls are worn out by USN standards and need to be replaced. Money is better spent on new hulls with 30 years of life left than to upgrade older hulls that's already approaching end of life.

[chakos]

Adelaide-class frigate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Its not just the Turks.

Might have to ask GF for the nitty gritty details but last i heard the RAN is very happy with our evolved Perrys

[jlvfr]

Buy the MEKO system from Germany? ;)

[SteveDaPirate]

Give the new build LCS some VLS cells and air defense capability and I start liking them a lot more. I think that giving up some armor in favor of high speed is a pretty reasonable trade off for a frigate. Unfortunately, the ability to run circles around your adversary's destroyers won't save you from fixed wing aircraft packing anti-ship missiles.

VLS cells seem like they would fit the multi-mission nature of the LCS/FF pretty well, throw in a solid air defense radar and I am much happier with the whole concept.

[jlvfr]

Any idea if they'll stick to the "gogo 40knot speed zoom" requirement?...

[desertswo]

Any idea if they'll stick to the "gogo 40knot speed zoom" requirement?...

One would hope so. It's the only thing about the SOBs that I like.

[jlvfr]

One would hope so. It's the only thing about the SOBs that I like.

But it's also one of the things that makes them so expensive... and an open-sea frigate would not need such speed...

[Tom24]

Give the new build LCS some VLS cells and air defense capability and I start liking them a lot more. I think that giving up some armor in favor of high speed is a pretty reasonable trade off for a frigate. Unfortunately, the ability to run circles around your adversary's destroyers won't save you from fixed wing aircraft packing anti-ship missiles.

VLS cells seem like they would fit the multi-mission nature of the LCS/FF pretty well, throw in a solid air defense radar and I am much happier with the whole concept.

The problem is that the extra 10-15 knots over a conventional frigate won't offer any protection from an ASM. I'd prefer a proper new frigate design over trying to prop up the flimsy LCS with extra armament and add on protection. It's a poor design and the USN refuses to admit it's mistake and move on.

[Gun Grape]

How effective would it be to put money into newer OHP hulls and upgrade them with Mk 41 launcher in place of the Mk 13?

Here is the Australian experience

Australia’s Hazard(ous) Frigate Upgrades: Done at Last

Lots of money put in a old hull. All for what?

I can see the upgrades for the foreign services mentioned but the US Navy has more than enough SM-2 shooters.

Some of this was discussed before
http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/nav...e-upgrade.html

[Gun Grape]

Our resident SWO can correct me if wrong but,

The younger folks don't realize what/How the OHPs were designed for.

They were a cheap ship, with limited growth potential, that was suppose to escort the Reforger Convoys across the Atlantic when WW3 happened. Heavy on AntiSub warfare and enough air capability to hopefully keep the Bears away. Like the Newport News LSTs these boats were expected to last 1 trip.

Then they sort of slid into the CBGs, not just for their ASW capability but most important, their aircraft hangers. Why was the Flt1 ABs built without hangers is a mystery.

Why spend the money to upgrade them to Mini Burkes?

[Gun Grape]

The problem is that the extra 10-15 knots over a conventional frigate won't offer any protection from an ASM.

Actually it does. The targeting search area is lots bigger for a 40kt vessel then a 30kt one.

[jlvfr]

Actually it does. The targeting search area is lots bigger for a 40kt vessel then a 30kt one.

True, but no one cruises around at 40kt. And if you're doing max speed, chances are you've allready been spoted...