DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources U.S. DoD Release No: NR-133-15 Dated April 17, 2015
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 17, 2015: Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that the next Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS St. Louis.

The future USS St. Louis, designated LCS 19, will be the seventh ship to bear the name. The first St. Louis, a sloop of war, was launched in 1828. It spent the majority of its service patrolling the coasts of the Americas to secure interests and trade. In addition, it served as the flagship for the West Indies Squadron working to suppress piracy in the Caribbean Sea, the Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico region.

“The name St. Louis holds a strong naval legacy,” Mabus said. “In this era when our country is faced with similar challenges as our forefathers, it’s important that all who encounter this ship are reminded of the history of our Navy’s bravery and sense of duty.”

The LCS is designed to defeat littoral threats, and provide access and dominance in coastal waters. A fast, agile surface combatant, LCS provides war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions close to the shore, such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and surface warfare. 

St. Louis will be built with modular design incorporating mission packages that can be changed out quickly as combat needs demand. These mission packages are supported by detachments that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles, and sensors in support of mine, undersea and surface warfare missions.

The ship will be 388 feet long, have a waterline beam length of 58 feet and make speeds in excess of 40 knots. The construction will be led by a Lockheed Martin industry team in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Additional information about littoral combat ships is available online at: http://www.navy.mil/local/lcsfreedom/

The Lockheed Martin Team
The U.S. Navy’s current Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) are designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal water battlespace. A fast, maneuverable surface combatant, the LCS provides warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility for focused missions including mine-clearing, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.

A flexible and reconfigurable seaframe, LCS derives combat capability from rapidly interchangeable mission modules and an open architecture command and control system. Modularity maximizes the flexibility of LCS and enables commanders to meet changing warfare needs, while also supporting spiral development and technology refresh.

The Lockheed Martin-led team producing the Freedom-variant LCS includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox and ship builder Marinette Marine Corporation, as well as domestic and international teammates. The team’s design, a proven semi-planing steel monohull, provides outstanding agility and high-speed maneuverability.  Its common combat system provides commonality with the U.S. Navy’s fleet and allows unprecedented interoperability, while making training more cost effective. The ship’s design also provides flexibility – its shallow draft and narrow beam allow greater access to global ports given existing infrastructure, which is essential for this ship’s missions.

The Lockheed Martin team has designed and delivered two ships for this new class, while another six ships are under construction. The first ship, USS Freedom, was delivered to the Navy in 2008 and successfully completed its first deployment in 2010, two years ahead of schedule. Then, the ship deployed to Southeast Asia in 2013, a journey to be followed by USS Fort Worth in 2014.

USS Fort Worth, the team’s second LCS, was delivered two months early and incorporates improvements from lessons learned on USS Freedom. These includedifferent air compressors, fixes to cooling systems, a 15 percent increase in fuel capacity, and cosmetic changes.

The team’s third LCS, the future USS Milwaukee, was launched and christened in 2013 into the Menominee River at Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC), followed by Detroit (LCS 7) in 2014. The Freedom-variant LCS industry team continues to produce ships at MMC.

Designs provided by the Lockheed Martin industry team are based on configurations marketed to navies around the globe. These configurations, known as the Multi-Mission Combat Ship and Surface Combat Ship, are adaptable and can include proven  capabilities such as the Aegis combat system with the SPY-1F (V) radar and the MK 41 Vertical Launching System.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources U.S. DoD Release No: NR-133-15 Dated April 17, 2015
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta, Singapore Defense Chief Affirm Deeper Cooperation And US Plans To Deploy Combat Ships To Singapore

DTN News - SINGAPORE DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta, Singapore Defense Chief Affirm Deeper Cooperation And US Plans To Deploy Combat Ships To Singapore
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Cheryl Pellerin - American Forces Press Service

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 6, 2012: The Defense Department's move to deploy U.S. combat ships to Singapore and raise the level of joint exercises will deepen the bilateral military relationship, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a joint statement after a Pentagon meeting yesterday.

Panetta and Ng, in Washington on his first official visit as Singapore's defense minister, discussed defense and security issues and affirmed the nations' longstanding bilateral defense relationship, the statement said.

Both underscored the shared belief that a strong U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region enhances regional stability and security.

The defense leaders also discussed the proposal for the United States to deploy up to four littoral combat ships to Singapore. The ships will be deployed on a rotational basis and will not be based in Singapore. The deployment signals U.S. commitment to the region, the joint statement said, and enhances the ability to train and engage with regional partners.

The rotational deployments are one part of the U.S.-Singapore partnership documented in the 2005 Strategic Framework Agreement, Pentagon spokeswoman Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde said. "This marks a significant movement in terms of our cooperation with Singapore," she added. "The specific details related to this unprecedented engagement are still being discussed."

Panetta and Ng noted progress made since 2005 in deepening bilateral defense cooperation, and recognized the value of practical interaction among regional militaries, including exercises and exchanges, in building trust.

The defense leaders agreed to increase the complexity of bilateral exercises such as Commando Sling to enhance interoperability between their armed forces. The annual Commando Sling series began in 1990 to provide combined air combat training for fighter units from the air forces of the United States and Singapore.

The exercise allows units to sharpen air combat skills, improve procedures for conducting air operations at a non-U.S. base, and enhance partnerships.

The United States and Singapore will enhance joint urban training, using installations such as Singapore's Murai Urban Training Facility, which is built to resemble a typical town. It has residential, commercial and industrial districts that feature bus stops, traffic lights and overhead bridges.

The United States and Singapore will continue to explore joint initiatives to facilitate U.S. engagement in the region, the statement said.

Near the end of the meeting, Ng expressed appreciation for U.S. support of training detachments Singapore's military has in the United States. Panetta expressed gratitude for Singapore's important contributions to stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, and to international counterpiracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden.

 

 


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Cheryl Pellerin - American Forces Press Service

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: Lockheed Martin Awarded $24M Contract To Continue Maritime Surveillance Systems For Anti Submarine Warfare

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Awarded $24M Contract To Continue Maritime Surveillance Systems For Anti Submarine Warfare

*Automated Signal Processing Capabilities Will Increase Undersea Situational Awareness

Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) SAN DIEGO, - October 18, 2010: Advanced acoustic processing and tracking capabilities provided by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] will enhance underwater surveillance and help increase situational awareness for the U.S. Navy fleet.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a follow-on contract from the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command to provide technology updates and new concepts to detect and track submarines. This contract extension is valued at $24 million.

“For more than 10 years we have provided the Navy with innovative automation technology to counter asymmetric threats and conduct anti-submarine warfare,” said Jim Quinn, vice president -of Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems & Global Solutions-Defense. “The capabilities we are providing will help detect, track, and localize undersea threats faster and more accurately.”

The team will engineer enhancements to the Navy’s common Integrated Undersea Sensor System hardware and software baseline, or Integrated Common Processor (ICP) system, which assists operators in localizing and tracking surface and subsurface maritime contacts. Managed by the Program Executive Office, Littoral Mine Warfare, PMS 485, the ICP system is being developed to provide a common workstation across all legacy and future undersea sensors and platforms.

In addition, Lockheed Martin will improve automation and localization capabilities to enable automatic detection and tracking of contact-generated acoustic energy (often described as lines on sonar grams). These automation capabilities will support key Navy initiatives to improve detection and tracking capabilities well into the future while simultaneously reducing operator workload, simplifying operator training, and limiting system development costs.

Lockheed Martin has supported the Program Executive Office, Littoral Mine Warfare since 2005, providing PMS 485 with acoustic signal processing in support of fixed and towed array systems.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.5 billion.

Media Contact: Suzanne Smith, 303-932-5230; e-mail, suzanne.m.smith@lmco.com

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Reaches 50 Percent Completion in Construction Of Nation’s Third Littoral Combat Ship

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Reaches 50 Percent Completion in Construction Of Nation’s Third Littoral Combat Ship

Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) MARINETTE, Wis., - June 16, 2010: The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led industry team recently accomplished a key milestone by reaching the 50-percent completion mark in the construction of the nation’s third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). LCS 3, named Fort Worth, is on track for delivery to the U.S. Navy in 2012. Fort Worth is being built by Marinette Marine Corporation and is scheduled to be launched later this year. All of the ship’s major equipment has been installed and 100 percent of its modules are under construction. “Lockheed Martin and its teammates have demonstrated strong performance in constructing LCS 3,” said Joe North, Lockheed Martin LCS program manager. “We are on schedule and on cost under a fixed-price contract. This performance proves our ability to deliver a low-risk solution that will meet the Navy’s need for a class of affordable and survivable warships.” Marinette Marine constructed and launched the nation’s first LCS, USS Freedom. USS Freedom’s capabilities have been demonstrated since its commissioning in 2008. The ship has been operational for 18 months and successfully completed its first deployment in April. Throughout the deployment, the crew completed four drug interdictions, in which more than five tons of cocaine were seized in the U.S. Southern and U.S. Pacific Command areas of responsibility. In addition to Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, the Lockheed Martin-led team for LCS 3 includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox as well as best-of-industry domestic and international companies. In late 2009 and early 2010, the team installed Fort Worth’s main propulsion equipment, including the 16-cylinder diesel engines, produced by Fairbanks-Morse, as well as two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion. Media Contact: Kim Martinez, (202) 863-3491; e-mail: kimberly.martinez@lmco.com

LCS in the News *US Navy Sees Ship Contract by Early August Reuters, June 10, 2010 *Littoral Combat Ship: New Ship Designed by Lockheed Martin to Counter Asymmetric Threats The Officer Magazine, June/July 2010 *Creating Wisconsin Jobs, Renewing American Sea Power Herald Times, May 26, 2010 *Navy Contract Would Boost Marinette Marine, State Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Opinion, May 20, 2010 *Marinette Marine Competes for Huge Navy Combat Ship Project WBAY – ABC, May 13, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Navy Sees Ship Contract By Early August

DTN News: U.S. Navy Sees Ship Contract By Early August

* Expects to execute contracts within budget

* Companies offered "very competitive pricing"

* Lawmaker expects losing bidder to protest

Source: DTN News / Reuters By Andrea Shalal-Esa

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON,- June 11, 2010: The U.S. Navy expects to award a contract for 10 new coastal warships by the end of July or early August, and should be able to meet its budget goals for the program, a top Navy official said on Thursday. Dub Summerall, executive director of combatants for the U.S. Navy's program executive office in charge of ships, told a conference that the two teams bidding to build the 10 Littoral Combat Ships, and combat systems for five more ships, submitted "very competitive pricing" with their offers in April. Summerall declined to make a detailed comment on competing bids by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and the U.S. unit of Australia's Austal Ltd (ASB.AX), which is teamed with General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) for a deal valued at well over $5 billion to build more fast, agile coastal warships for the Navy. Affordability is critical to the future of the warships, which are designed to fight pirates, chase drug-runners, and sweep for mines in shallow coastal waters. The Navy plans to buy 55 of the ships overall, a key part of its plan to increase the number of ships in the fleet to 313 ships over time. Summerall said both competitors' ships would meet the Navy's needs and he was confident that the Navy would execute the contracts within the five-year plan for the program that was submitted with the fiscal 2011 budget request, despite huge cost spikes while the ships were still in development. "We can get very competitive pricing," Summerall told a conference hosted by Swiss bank Credit Suisse and Virginia-based defense consultant Jim McAleese. Rear Admiral Joseph Mulloy, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget, said Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley had revamped the Navy's acquisition strategy and decided to pick a single winner because he was not satisfied with the pricing initially offered by the companies. "He is a hard negotiator and he is bound and determined," said Mulloy, noting that the Navy's drive to cut costs was part of a larger drive by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Representative Gene Taylor, head of the seapower subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, said he fully expected the losing team to file a formal protest, given how important the work was to both bidders. He said he favored shortening to 60 days the current 100-day deadline for the Government Accountability Office to rule on bid protests, saying the Navy urgently needed to start building the new warships and could not afford further delays. Under current law the Navy could already cite urgent national security needs and proceed with a contract, even if a protest was filed, said one congressional aide, who was not authorized to speak on the record. The shorter deadline would also be a hardship for the GAO, which is already saddled with a heavy workload, said the aide. Lockheed is offering a steel single-hull design, being built in Wisconsin by Marinette Marine, a unit of Italy's Fincantieri. The Mobile, Alabama-based U.S. unit of Austal is offering the Navy an aluminum trimaran design. Summerall said the Navy is in discussions with both teams, and Navy officials are carefully evaluating the bids before making a decision later this summer. He underscored the Navy's determination to cut shipbuilding costs so the Navy could buy the number of ships currently in the plan, adding: "We take this very seriously." The Navy has said it expects to award a single winner a fixed-price contract for 10 of the new warships, buying two in the 2010 fiscal year 2010 that ends Sept. 30, with the rest to follow through fiscal 2014. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz)

DTN News: Israel Navy Drops LCS Buy In Favor Of Locally-Built Meko A-100 Warships

DTN News: Israel Navy Drops LCS Buy In Favor Of Locally-Built Meko A-100 Warships

Source: DTN News (Archive)

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 19, 2010: In a radical revamp of its surface fleet modernization program, the Israel Navy has shelved long-held plans to purchase Lockheed Martin-produced Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), as well as a fallback option involving corvettes built by Northrop Grumman.

Instead, sources say, the Navy is pushing to establish a combat shipbuilding industry through customized, locally built versions of a German corvette design.

Now in an exploration phase, the concept calls for a stretched, approximately 2,200-ton version of the Meko A-100 built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the Hamburg-based consortium building two Dolphin-class submarines for the Israel Navy. Countries that are building or now operating the 1,650-ton German-designed corvette include Malaysia and Poland.

Defense and industry sources said Navy discussions with TKMS about a possible licensed co-production deal began in January and have steadily expanded to involve Israel's Ministry of Defense, Treasury, relevant lawmakers and industry executives. Under the plan, at least two ships would be produced at Israel Shipyards in Haifa, with state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a likely candidate for lead systems integrator. Each ship, and anticipated options for follow-on builds, would be integrated "with the maximum amount of local capabilities specifically designed to our operational requirements," said an Israel Navy flag officer.

"One of the things we put on the table is how to vector our urgent operational needs into a project that can support local industry," the officer said. "We believe a strong case can be made for making this into a national project that fosters self-sufficiency and provides all the economic benefits that come with creating a military shipbuilding industry."

In an interview earlier this month, the senior naval officer said the revamped acquisition concept was driven by the prohibitive price tag of its preferred LCS-I (Israel) option.Military, defense and industry sources here noted that since the Navy began pursuing LCS, unit costs surged from $220 million to $375 million to current U.S. Navy estimates, presented to the U.S. Congress in May, of $637 million. And while U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin officials repeatedly maintained that rising U.S. costs for the full multimission system would have only a marginal impact on the Israeli program, which focused primarily on HM&E (hull, mechanical and electrical) equipment, experts here concluded otherwise.

10 Years of Study, No DealThe naval officer acknowledged frustration at the millions of dollars and nearly a decade of study invested by Israel, the U.S. government and prime contractor Lockheed Martin to adapt the 3,300-ton system to local requirements.

"As much as we sought commonality with the U.S. Navy, it became much, much more expensive than planned. At the end of the day, we had no choice but to face the fact that, for us, it was unaffordable," he said.

When asked about the status of the Israeli LCS program, Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Maritime Systems and Sensors, replied, "Israel decided they didn't need any more work in that area."

Similarly, Israeli naval experts concluded that a Northrop Grumman-proposed package for two Sa'ar-5Bs - an approximately 2,300-ton design based on the service's current operational Sa'ar-5 fleet - also exceeded projected budgets. U.S. and Israeli sources said rough estimates for each Sa'ar-5B were about $450 million; but HM&E unit costs could have been reduced by more than $100 million had the Navy conducted a contract design.

"When Northrop Grumman makes a fixed-price offer, it's the result of an organized and serious process that allows the company to honor all of its commitments," a company representative said. "Without conducting a contract design - which eliminates most of the uncertainties that drive up price - NG couldn't offer the unit costs we all believed we could have delivered to the Israel Navy." In a Feb. 12 letter, the director of naval procurement at MoD's purchasing mission in New York informed U.S. parties of the prospective change in acquisition strategy. "In the event this option turns out to be more suitable both in terms of our operational and budgetary requirements, the [multimission ships] will be built in Israel."

High-Risk Program Despite widespread interest in the Navy-spearheaded effort, huge budgetary, political and technical uncertainties still threaten the ambitious program, sources here warn.

Assuming the customized Meko-100 meets naval requirements, and that MoD can conclude a deal with TKMS and the German government that allows Israel to leverage its investment beyond the planned domestic buy, it remains unclear how Israel intends to fund the program.

Unlike most major military acquisitions, which are based on U.S.-built platforms and funded through U.S. military grant aid, Israel will have to fund the bulk of the estimated $600 million program on its own.

"We're looking at all kinds of funding options, which do not necessarily have to come from MoD or [U.S. Foreign Military Financing] FMF accounts," another senior naval officer said. "If the political leaders determine that this is a critical national program, then it's reasonable to expect significant funding to come from the Treasury." A Finance Ministry official confirmed that experts from the two ministries are examining how the establishment of a military shipbuilding industry would concretely contribute to the Israeli economy.

Once the two ministries can agree on benchmarks, he said, more detailed discussions will begin over how, if at all, the Treasury can contribute some advanced funding."The idea is to find a formula whereby the Treasury can provide upfront funding in the form of a no-interest loan to MoD," an industry executive in Tel Aviv said.

Merkava-Based Funding ModelMeanwhile, Navy and civilian defense officials have started to explore ways in which U.S. FMF funding can be applied to the program.U.S. regulations allow Israel to convert some 26 percent of its annual aid into shekels to finance local projects. But most of those funds over the next several years already have been earmarked for high-priority programs, including the Barak-8 air and ship defense system and the MF-STAR multifunction radar planned for the new ships.

Sources here cite Israel's indigenous Merkava main battle tank as a prospective acquisition model. Although the tank is built in Israel from locally developed technologies and subsystems, hundreds of millions of FMF dollars have been used over the years to finance the program.Items purchased with U.S. aid include steel, other raw materials and the German-designed diesel engine co-produced in the United States by General Dynamics Land Systems and MTU. MoD is exploring a similar U.S.-based co-production arrangement that would allow FMF funding of the Meko ship's MTU1168 engine, sources here said."It's doable," a Pentagon source said. "Direct Commercial Contract guidelines allow them to use FMF to fund U.S. content on non-U.S. platforms."

A U.S. export license official noted, however, that as with the export-restricted Merkava, U.S. content gives Washington control over export sales.

■ Christopher P. Cavas contributed to this report from Washington.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: Navy Reversal Turns Partners Into Competitors

DTN News: Navy Reversal Turns Partners Into Competitors Source: BNet By Matthew Potter Government Analysis (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 8, 2010: The U.S. Navy had originally intended to buy the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a new small warship, from two builders, Lockheed Martin (LMT) and General Dynamics (GD). The two different designs would meet the same requirements; the idea was that splitting the order would allow the Navy could take delivery faster. Things didn’t work out that way. Both companies ran into significant delays and cost overruns with their first ships, a sign that the estimates were incorrect. The Navy cancelled part of the deal because it couldn’t work out a deal with the companies to cover the costs. As part of the Obama Administration’s review of defense spending, last fall the Navy came up with a revised acquisition strategy for the LCS program. The new plan was to have a competition where one builder would win a contract to build ten ships between 2010 and 2014. Further competitions would be held for later lots; all told, the Navy intends to buy 55 of the versatile platforms. On March 4th, GD and its partner, Austal USA, in whose yard the LCS-2 was built, announced that they were ending their joint venture for the LCS program. The parting was reportedly amicable but it sets the stage for Austal USA to bid for the next batch of ships. Austal is an Australian company known for building ferries. It has a yard in Mobile, AL where the GD-designed ship was completed. GD has its own shipyard in Maine that makes destroyers and cruisers; it could certainly take on the LCS. The bottom line: The former partners are likely to be rivals. http://www.flickr.com/photos/macprohawaii/ / CC BY-ND 2.0 Matthew Potter

Matthew Potter is a resident of Huntsville, Ala., where he works supporting U.S. Army aviation programs. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he began work as a defense contractor in Washington D.C. specializing in program management and budget development and execution. In the last 15 years Matthew has worked for several companies, large and small, involved in all aspects of government contracting and procurement. He holds two degrees in history as well as studying at the Defense Acquisition University. He has written for Seeking Alpha and at his own website, DefenseProcurementNews.com.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: Nation’s First Littoral Combat Ship Departs For Maiden Deployment

DTN News: Nation’s First Littoral Combat Ship Departs For Maiden Deployment *Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin (NSI News Source Info) MAYPORT, FL, - February 17, 2010: The nation’s first Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), departed from Naval Station Mayport, FL, yesterday Feb. 16 for its maiden deployment, approximately two years ahead of schedule.Littoral Combat Ship - USS Freedom (LCS 1) departed from Naval Station Mayport, FL, Feb. 16 for its maiden deployment. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy. The agile 378-foot USS Freedom, designed and built by a Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led industry team, will deploy to the Southern Command area of responsibility. “We congratulate the USS Freedom and her crew on their maiden deployment as this new class of Littoral Combat Ships begins to fulfill important global security missions,” said Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO Bob Stevens. “Her quality and proven performance enabled Freedom’s deployment two years ahead of schedule, a significant accomplishment in naval shipbuilding. As we compete to build additional ships for the U.S. Navy, the Lockheed Martin team remains focused on delivering an affordable surface combatant with the flexibility to provide security close to shore and on the open seas.” USS Freedom (LCS 1) is the first of 55 the Navy plans for a new class of ships designed to operate in coastal waters. The ship’s capabilities have been demonstrated since delivered to the Navy in 2008. Freedom has sailed more than 10,000 nm, successfully completed sea trials and demonstrated performance of combat, communications and other critical systems. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion. Media Contact at Lockheed Martin: Kim Martinez, (202) 863-3491; e-mail: kimberly.martinez@lmco.com Lockheed Martin Related News February 16, 2010 Lockheed Martin Center For Leadership Excellence Earns Prestigious Green Building Certification February 16, 2010 Second Missile Warning Satellite Achieves Key Testing Milestone At Lockheed Martin February 16, 2010 Nation’s First Littoral Combat Ship Departs for Maiden Deployment February 16, 2010 Lockheed Martin Awarded $49.5 Million TADS/PNVS AND M-TADS/PNVS Support Contract February 15, 2010 Lockheed Martin Inspires Future Science and Engineering Leaders During National Engineers Week In Central Florida February 15, 2010 Lockheed Martin Hosts Second Annual Women in Engineering Day in Riviera Beach February 12, 2010 Lockheed Martin-Built System Aims Laser In Successful Lethal Demonstration Against Ballistic Missile Target February 11, 2010 Lockheed Martin-built Instruments Launched on NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory February 10, 2010 Lockheed Martin Awarded $160 Million for Continued Support of U.S. Navy Land-based Aegis Test Facility

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Lays Keel On Nation’s Third Littoral Combat Ship, Fort Worth

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Team Lays Keel On Nation’s Third Littoral Combat Ship, Fort Worth *Rep. Kay Granger (R-12-Texas), the Ship's Sponsor, Authenticated the Construction Milestone

*Source: DTN News / Lockheed Martin (NSI News Source Info) MARINETTE, Wis, - July 13, 2009: A Lockheed Martin-led industry team held a keel-laying ceremony at Marinette Marine’s shipyard today for Fort Worth, the U.S. Navy’s third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Lockheed prepares to lay the keel of LCS 3 as General Dynamics completes builder’s trials of trimaran-hulled LCS 2 Independence (above). (US Navy photo) The LCS is an agile warship designed to operate in the world’s coastal waters and provide the Navy with fast, maneuverable and shallow-draft ships aimed at maximizing mission flexibility. In March 2009, the Navy awarded the Lockheed Martin team a fixed price incentive fee contract to construct Fort Worth, which will be delivered in 2012. The team’s first LCS, USS Freedom, was commissioned in Milwaukee by the Navy in November 2008. “It’s a great honor to serve as the sponsor of the Fort Worth,” said Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-12-Texas), the ship’s sponsor, whose congressional district encompasses the city of Fort Worth. “The keel laying ceremony today is also a great tribute to the tireless efforts by the city of Fort Worth and all those who believed this day would happen. The thousands of letters that were written and the drawings that were done embody the spirit of making this dream a reality. The keel is the backbone of the ship, and the city of Fort Worth has long been a “backbone” of support for our American Military forces.” Navy Capt. James Murdoch, Littoral Combat Ship program manager, Program Executive Office –Ships, congratulated Marinette Marine for the “fabulous job” it has done for the nation, the Navy and Lockheed Martin. He observed, “With USS Freedom, Marinette Marine delivered a fine capability to the Navy, and I look forward to Fort Worth with great anticipation.” The Lockheed Martin-led LCS team includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox, ship builders Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, and Bollinger Shipyards, as well as domestic and international teammates. In Navy ships, the keel refers to a structural element, or in the case of Fort Worth, a structural block. The keel is generally the first part of a ship's hull to be constructed, and laying the keel, is often marked with a ceremonial event. Modern warships are now largely built in a series of pre-fabricated, complete hull sections rather than being built around a single keel, so the actual start of the shipbuilding process is now considered to be when the first sheet of steel is cut. The term, lay the keel, in shipbuilding language, means the beginning of a significant undertaking, which is the start of the module erection process that reflects the ship coming to life. During the keel-laying ceremony, Cong. Granger authenticated the keel, assisted by Capt. Murdoch and 36-year veteran Marinette Marine welder Jim Renner. The future USS FORT WORTH continues the practice of naming LCS ves¬sels after American midsized cities, small towns and communities. For more than 150 years, Fort Worth citizens have supported the Navy and all men and women in uniform via ranger outposts, training facilities, aviation depots, and defense manufacturing. “We are committed to continuing our partnership with the Navy and providing them the most affordable solution to fill a critical need,” said Dan Schultz, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Maritime Systems & Sensors Integrated Defense Technologies business. “LCS 3’s construction will benefit from lessons learned on USS Freedom. It will be built using Marinette Marine’s modular production process that enables ship modules to be outfitted up to 85 percent complete prior to launch.” In May, USS Freedom successfully conducted its second and final round of U.S. Navy acceptance trials off the Virginia coast. The trials – which were a coordinated effort between the Navy and the Lockheed Martin team – included operational testing of the vessel’s propulsion, communications, navigation and mission systems, as well as all related support systems. The Lockheed Martin team design for LCS provides outstanding maneuverability with proven sea-keeping and stability characteristics and innovative design features to support launch and recovery operations of manned and unmanned vehicles. Reaching speeds well over 40 knots, the ship is a highly automated and networked surface combatant with operational flexibility to execute focused missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and the potential for a wide range of additional missions, including maritime interdiction and humanitarian/disaster relief. The Freedom-class employs a secure, high-availability ship-wide network that can be controlled from a single workstation and rapidly reconfigured based on mission demands. This system, combined with an Aegis-based open architecture command and control system, went from design concept to delivery in just 18 months. Freedom was delivered to the fleet in only six years from initial concept, half the time of traditional shipbuilding programs. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

DTN News: General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team Completes Main Propulsion System Testing In Preparation For LCS 2 Sea Trials

DTN News: General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team Completes Main Propulsion System Testing In Preparation For LCS 2 Sea Trials

*Source: General Dynamics (NSI News Source Info) BATH, Maine – June 9, 2009: The General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team, led by Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, recently completed testing of the main propulsion system for Independence (LCS 2) in preparation for the ship’s upcoming builder’s at-sea trials. The ship, which is in its final stages of system test and activation, is being constructed at Austal USA facilities in Mobile, Alabama.

USS Independence (LCS-2), the class prototype for the Independence-class littoral combat ship, will be the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the concept of independence. It is the design competitor produced by the General Dynamics consortium, in competition with the Lockheed Martin-designed USS Freedom, the prototype for the Freedom-class littoral combat ship. It is intended as a small assault transport with a variety of capabilities depending on the mission module installed. The ship is a trimaran design capable of over 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph), and will probably be delivered to the US Navy in September 2009.

All components of the combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) main propulsion system which drive the ship’s four independent steerable water jets have been tested. The two diesel engines, two gas turbine engines, and four water jets are operational and all four propulsion shafts have been successfully rotated. The four ship’s service diesel generators were successfully brought on-line in earlier testing.

The ship will soon undergo a series of dockside tests before going to sea for builder’s trials this summer.

Jeff Geiger, president of Bath Iron Works, said, “With the main propulsion system now ready, we’re well on the way toward getting this ship to sea. It’s a major accomplishment for the GD LCS team and Navy personnel who have worked tirelessly to get us to this point. We will continue to perform system activation, testing and integration efforts over the next several weeks but with this milestone under our belts, everyone is looking forward to taking in the lines and putting Independence through its paces in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Independence is one of two ship designs that will be evaluated by the U.S. Navy as part of its plan to build a total of 55 Littoral Combat Ships. When delivered later this year, it will be the U.S. Navy’s first trimaran warship. Independence (LCS 2) will be homeported in San Diego.

The Littoral Combat Ship is a major part of the Navy’s plan to address asymmetric threats of the 21st century. Intended to operate in coastal areas, the ships will be fast, highly maneuverable and geared to supporting mine detection/elimination, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, particularly against small surface craft. The 419-foot ship provides superior seakeeping, propulsion efficiency and aviation capability. Key features include a large, below-deck open mission bay with a high payload capacity, enabling the ship to carry equipment and personnel for a variety of missions. The General Dynamics LCS’s large flight deck will support near-simultaneous operation of two SH-60 helicopters or multiple unmanned vehicles. The ultra-stable trimaran hull also allows for flight operations in high sea conditions.

The ship’s open architecture computing infrastructure (OPEN CI) is the computing backbone that handles the combat, damage control, engineering control, mission package and other computing functions onboard the General Dynamics LCS. Developed by the General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems team, the OPEN CI design made it possible to rapidly achieve successful operation of the propulsion system from the General Dynamics LCS Integrated Command Center.

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is the prime contractor for the General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team. Partners include Austal USA (Mobile, Ala.); BAE Systems (Rockville, MD); General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (Fairfax, Va.); L3 Communications Marine Systems (Leesburg, Va.); Maritime Applied Physics Corporation (Baltimore, Md.); and Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (Baltimore, Md.).

Bath Iron Works, a leader in surface combatant design and construction, employs approximately 5,700 people. Since 1991, BIW has manufactured and delivered 30 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the most technologically advanced surface combatant in the world, to the U.S. Navy. Four additional ships are currently under construction for delivery by 2011. The shipyard is also building the lead ship of the Navy’s Zumwalt (DDG 1000) class of guided missile destroyers.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,900 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

US Navy Orders Trimaran LCS Frigate / General Dynamics Awarded Contract For Additional Trimaran Littoral Combat Ship

US Navy Orders Trimaran LCS Frigate / General Dynamics Awarded Contract For Additional Trimaran Littoral Combat Ship

(NSI News Source Info) General Dynamics – May 5, 2009: Bath Iron Works (BIW), Bath, Maine, is being awarded contract N00024-09-C-2302 for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) FY09 Flight 0+ ship construction, class design services, configuration management services, additional crew and shore support, special studies and post delivery support.

On May 1, 2009, the Navy renewed the contract with Austal/GD to build its second Trimaran LCS, the USS Coronado (LCS-4), with delivery scheduled for May 2012.

As this award represents Phase I of a competitive two-phased acquisition approach to procure FY09/FY10 LCS, with Phase II including potential award of up to three additional LCS Flight 0+ Class ships, the award amount is considered source selection information (see FAR 2.101 and 3.104) and will not be made public at this time.

Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala., (50 percent); Bath, Maine, (17 percent); Pittsfield, Mass., (14 percent); Ottowa, Ontario, (2 percent); California, Md., (1 percent); Baltimore, Md., (1 percent); Leesburg, Va., (1 percent); Burlington, Vt., (1 percent); and various locations of less than 1 percent each totaling 13 percent, and work is expected to be completed by June 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2302).