Lockheed Martin to begin production of MMSC

Lockheed Martin has received an Undefinitised Contract Action (UCA) contract from the US government for the production of multi-mission surface combatant (MMSC) for Saudi Arabia.

The $450 million contract, announced on 20 July, entails the detailed design and planning for construction of four MMSCs that will be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

MMSC utilises the COMBATSS-21 combat management system, built from the Aegis combat system common source library, enabling anti-air and anti-surface capabilities in a small surface combatant platform.

Joe DePietro, VP, Lockheed Martin Small Combatants and Ship Systems, said: ‘The MMSC provides the Royal Saudi Naval Forces a lethal and highly manoeuvrable multi-mission surface combatant, which features the flexibility of the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship steel mono-hull with expanded capabilities that include an integrated Mk41 Vertical Launch System, an increased range of 5,000 nautical miles and speeds in excess of 30kt, making it capable of littoral and open ocean operation and able to confront modern maritime and economic security threats.’

In March 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded $481 million for long lead material for MMSC.