As the first of the US Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Freedom, docks off the shore of Singapore, the long-running debate surrounding the worth of the vessel continues to play out.
Its presence in the Asia-Pacific characterises the overall effort by the US to rebalance a 60/40 split in its naval presence in favour of Asia, as put forward by Leon Panetta when he was secretary of state for defence.
The LCS was brought into South East Asia on 18 April to embark on an eight month deployment of the region, and it is still unclear how much
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Delays in the construction of the Polar Security Cutter – the future substitute for the Polar Star – are likely to prolong the ageing icebreaker’s service time even more, putting the USCG in a risky position.
The adaptable design of Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 frigate, already selected by the UK Royal Navy and Poland, has led to more orders from Indonesia while other countries continue to weigh it up.
The presence of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the Persian Gulf means additional naval and aerial capabilities, which provides the US with multiple attacking options.
The US Navy’s acceleration of its laser weapon development initiatives reflects a decisive shift towards ultimately having a “laser on every ship” across tomorrow’s surface fleet.
The new frigate class’s focus on modularity, speed to build and enhanced armament align with the priorities of the US Navy’s Golden Fleet.
The US Navy is set to invest $30 billion in artificial intelligence, cyber, space and autonomy research and development efforts in FY2026 as the force rethinks how it fights in light of China’s naval rise.
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