Lockheed laid keel for LCS 15
Lockheed Martin has laid the keel for the US Navy's fifteenth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin, the company announced on 2 November.
The LCS 15 is the future USS Billings. Like the rest of the fleet, the vessel will be outfitted with interchangeable mission modules to conduct various missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and mine countermeasures.
The industry team building Billings has delivered three ships and has seven other ships in various stages of construction and testing. The future USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) is due to be commissioned in Milwaukee on 21 November.
Joe North, vice president of littoral ships and systems, Lockheed Martin, said: ‘The LCS platform is proving the navy's concept of operations with its flexibility in supporting a broad range of missions, from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to mine countermeasures. This industry has shown it can adapt to meet the navy's most challenging missions, anywhere in the world.’
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration]()
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
-
![HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment]()
HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
-
![How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China]()
How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
-
![UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet]()
UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
