Article Posted on : - Dec 20, 2009

The first Littoral Combat Ship, LCS-2 Independence. Image Credit: Austal USA.

WASHINGTON (BNS): US Navy Friday officially procured the first Littoral Combat Ship, LCS-2 Independence to address asymmetric threats in the coastal areas.

Captain Dean Krestos, USN, Commanding Officer Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Bath, Maine said, "It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the United States Navy, to accept delivery of the LCS-2, Independence, bringing to the fleet the second ship of this exciting new class of surface combatants," as per US Navy news release.

Jim Baskerville, vice president of the LCS Program for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, on the behalf of the entire General Dynamics LCS Team, said, "the Navy has received a new and highly capable Combat Ship equipped with remarkable aviation features, large payload capacity and an open architecture computing environment for future missions."

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is the main contractor for the General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship Team. Other partners include shipbuilder Austal USA; General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems; BAE Systems; L3 Communications Marine Systems; Maritime Applied Physics Corporation; and Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems.

The ship with a length of 127.1 metres is capable of over 40 knots (74 Km/hr) and can carry a crew of 40 sailors. It is capable of providing high-speed, multi-mission capability and superior aviation operations for up to two large helicopters.

The ship's highly flexible OPEN CI design is developed and integrated by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems.

The LCS-2 Independence has successfully completed all the sea trials and will join the service in Januray 2010.