Tag Archives: Freedom variant

Navy

Navy accepted Milwaukee

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) during a ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard October 16. Milwaukee is the sixth littoral combat ship to be delivered to the Navy and the third of the Freedom variant to join the fleet. Delivery marks the official transfer of LCS-5 from a Lockheed Martin-led team to the U.S. Navy. It is the final milestone prior to commissioning, which is planned for November 21 in its namesake city.

The littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) slides into the Menominee River during a christening ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)
The littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) slides into the Menominee River during a christening ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)

«With each LCS delivered, we have succeeded in driving down costs by incorporating lessons learned to provide the Navy with a highly capable and flexible ship», said LCS program manager Captain Tom Anderson. «We are honored to place the Milwaukee in the able hands of her crew as they set sail for the ship’s commissioning».

Captain Warren R. Buller II, commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, was on hand to mark the occasion. «We are pleased to receive the future USS Milwaukee into the LCS class», said Buller. «Milwaukee is scheduled to conduct Full Ship Shock Trials before joining her sister littoral combat ships in their homeport of San Diego».

Buller’s squadron supports the operational commanders with warships ready for tasking by manning, training, equipping, and maintaining all littoral combat ships in the fleet.

Following commissioning, Milwaukee will be homeported in San Diego with sister ships USS Freedom (LCS-1), USS Independence (LCS-2), USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), USS Coronado (LCS-4) and the future USS Jackson (LCS-6).

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Delivering high-quality warfighting assets while balancing affordability and capability is key to supporting the nation’s maritime strategy.

The littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) is prepared for its christening ceremony December 18 at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard (U.S. Navy photo by Joe Mancini courtesy of Marinette Marine Corporation/Released)
The littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) is prepared for its christening ceremony December 18 at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard (U.S. Navy photo by Joe Mancini courtesy of Marinette Marine Corporation/Released)

 

Ship Design Specifications

Hull Advanced semiplaning steel monohull
Length Overall 389 feet/118.6 m
Beam Overall 57 feet/17.5 m
Draft 13.5 feet/4.1 m
Full Load Displacement Approximately 3,200 metric tons
Top Speed Greater than 40 knots/46 mph/74 km/h
Range at top speed 1,000 NM/1,151 miles/1,852 km
Range at cruise speed 4,000 NM/4,603 miles/7,408 km
Watercraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 4
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 5
Propulsion Combined diesel and gas turbine with steerable water jet propulsion
Power 85 MW/113,600 horsepower
Hangar Space Two MH-60 Romeo Helicopters
One MH-60 Romeo Helicopter and three Vertical Take-off and Land Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (VTUAVs)
Core Crew Less than 50
Accommodations for 75 sailors provide higher sailor quality of life than current fleet
Integrated Bridge System Fully digital nautical charts are interfaced to ship sensors to support safe ship operation
Core Self-Defense Suite Includes 3D air search radar
Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) gunfire control system
Rolling-Airframe Missile Launching System
57-mm Main Gun
Mine, Torpedo Detection
Decoy Launching System
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) makes waves during its acceptance trial. The acceptance trial is the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy (Photo by U.S. Navy)
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) makes waves during its acceptance trial. The acceptance trial is the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy (Photo by U.S. Navy)

 

Ship list

USS Freedom (LCS-1)

USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)

USS Milwaukee (LCS-5)

USS Detroit (LCS-7)

USS Little Rock (LCS-9)

USS Sioux City (LCS-11)

USS Wichita (LCS-13)

USS Billings (LCS-15)

USS Indianapolis (LCS-17)

USS St. Louis (LCS-19)

USS Minneapolis/St. Paul (LCS-21)

USS Cooperstown (LCS-23)

 

Navy

Little Rock Launch

The Lockheed Martin-led industry team launched the nation’s ninth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Little Rock, into the Menominee River at the Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) shipyard on July 18. The ship’s sponsor, Mrs. Janee Bonner, christened USS Little Rock (LCS-9) with the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle across the ship’s bow just prior to the launch.

The ninth Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Little Rock (LCS-9), was christened and launched into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin, on July 18
The ninth Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Little Rock (LCS-9), was christened and launched into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin, on July 18

«It is such an honor and a privilege to serve as the sponsor of the future USS Little Rock (LCS-9) and to be a part of this major milestone along the way to her assuming her place as part of the great U.S. Navy fleet», Bonner said.

Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus, who served as an officer aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock, presented the keynote address. Following christening and launch, USS Little Rock (LCS-9) will continue to undergo outfitting and testing before delivery to the U.S. Navy later this year.

«This future USS Little Rock (LCS-9) will use interchangeable mission modules that empower her to face a variety of high-priority missions, from Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) to Mine CounterMeasures (MCM)», said Vice President of Littoral Ships & Systems, Joe North. «She is ideally suited to navigate the reefs and shallows in the Asia-Pacific, as so well demonstrated by USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) on her current deployment».

The USS Little Rock (LCS-9) is one of seven Littoral Combat Ships under construction at Marinette Marine. The Lockheed Martin-led industry team is building the Freedom variant, and has already delivered two ships to the U.S. Navy. USS Freedom (LCS-1) successfully deployed to Southeast Asia in 2013 and is currently operating out of her homeport in San Diego, California. USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) is currently deployed in Southeast Asia, serving in the U.S. 7th Fleet to strengthen international relationships, engage in multi-regional naval exercises and further LCS capabilities using manned and unmanned assets.

USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) was christened and launched in 2013, and is slated to be delivered to the U.S. Navy this fall. USS Detroit (LCS-7) was launched in 2014. USS Sioux City (LCS-11) is in construction, and USS Wichita (LCS-13) had its keel laid in February 2015. USS Billings (LCS-15), USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) and USS St. Louis (LCS-19) are in the construction phase.

Ship sponsor Mrs. Janée Bonner conducted the time-honored tradition of christening the ship by smashing a bottle of champagne across the bow
Ship sponsor Mrs. Janée Bonner conducted the time-honored tradition of christening the ship by smashing a bottle of champagne across the bow

 

Ship Design Specifications

Hull Advanced semiplaning steel monohull
Length Overall 389 feet/118.6 m
Beam Overall 57 feet/17.5 m
Draft 13.5 feet/4.1 m
Full Load Displacement Approximately 3,200 metric tons
Top Speed Greater than 40 knots/46 mph/74 km/h
Range at top speed 1,000 NM/1,151 miles/1,852 km
Range at cruise speed 4,000 NM/4,603 miles/7,408 km
Watercraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 4
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 5
Propulsion Combined diesel and gas turbine with steerable water jet propulsion
Power 85 MW/113,600 horsepower
Hangar Space Two MH-60 Romeo Helicopters
One MH-60 Romeo Helicopter and three Vertical Take-off and Land Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (VTUAVs)
Core Crew Less than 50
Accommodations for 75 sailors provide higher sailor quality of life than current fleet
Integrated Bridge System Fully digital nautical charts are interfaced to ship sensors to support safe ship operation
Core Self-Defense Suite Includes 3D air search radar
Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) gunfire control system
Rolling-Airframe Missile Launching System
57-mm Main Gun
Mine, Torpedo Detection
Decoy Launching System
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide

 

Ship list

USS Freedom (LCS-1)

USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)

USS Milwaukee (LCS-5)

USS Detroit (LCS-7)

USS Little Rock (LCS-9)

USS Sioux City (LCS-11)

USS Wichita (LCS-13)

USS Billings (LCS-15)

USS Indianapolis (LCS-17)

USS St. Louis (LCS-19)

Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) is located on the Menominee River flowage into Green Bay