Lockheed lays keel for 13th US LCS
An industry team led by Lockheed Martin has laid the keel for the 13th US Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), which will be named USS Wichita, the company announced on 9 February.
The keel-laying ceremony took place at Marinette Marine Corporation in Wisconsin. Wichita is a flexible Freedom-variant LCS that will feature systems to conduct a number of missions, including mine countermeasures, anti-surface warfare and submarine warfare. The Lockheed Martin-led industry team has delivered two ships so far and is currently constructing or testing six others.
Joe North, vice president, littoral ships and systems, Lockheed Martin, said: 'This ship class and the industry team behind it can adapt to meet the navy's most challenging missions and provide a powerful, modular platform.'
He added: 'We have leveraged best practices and incorporated improvements based on sailors’ feedback to ensure the fleet is prepared and empowered to fight, operate and support the ship in the littorals and open seas worldwide.'
The LCS industry team includes Marinette Marine, Gibbs & Cox and close to 900 other suppliers.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear]()
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
![Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule]()
Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule
The Royal Australian Navy has finally commissioned the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel – more than three years behind schedule – highlighting the programme’s delays, design compromises and ongoing industrial restructuring.
-
![Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates]()
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
