USN Pirate catcher ship, new trawler design?

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LaBomba

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Here are some recent photos of the LCS-2
(to be named the USS Independence).

Here she is at sea trials running at only HALF-power at 43 knots!
NOTE the absence of a bow wave.
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Also turns tightly too. Allegedly this turn was also done at 43 knots...and from the look of the small bow wave, she's still in the turn. - Note the absence of any sign of her 'heeling over' even at that speed.












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And then there's the massive helo deck big enough for a CH-53.
Last time I talked with the SURFPAC guys years ago, THIS was
the LCS they wanted because of the huge storage capacity
under that flight deck and the size of the flight deck.
















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Note that there is very little spreading wake. In fact, it does not
look like a wake at all, just foamy water from the water jets.
Somehow, at 43 knots, you'd think there'd be more of a wake.

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She's aerodynamically designed and kind of strange looking.
Is this beginning of a new design in ships?

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Here's some more pics of the U.S. Navy's new pirate catchers!

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WOW! A couple of these should be able to clean up the pirates off the coasts of Africa .
















This is the U.S.S. Independence (LCS-2)
It is a Triple Hulled, Weapon-Laden Monster. Here she is under construction...
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There have been rumors about the U.S. Navy's speedy new
triple-hulled ships, but now they're for real.
















The U.S.S. Independence was built by General Dynamics. It's
called a "littoral combat ship" (LCS), and the tri-maran can move its weapons around faster than any other ship in the Navy. (Ironic that with all that high tech, the ship reminds me of the Merrimac ironclad from Civil War days).

'Littoral' means close-to-shore, and that's where these very
ships will operate. They're tailor-made for launching helicopters and lightly-armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns. These ships are also relatively inexpensive. This one is a bargain at $208 million, and the Navy plans to build 55 of them. This tri-maran is the first of a new fire breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots top speed...It's like a speedy and heavily armed aircraft carrier for helicopters. Pirates Beware!

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Not sure why, I can see them on my computer. Did a copy and paste from an email. Mods, any idea?
 
Man, if I was a pirate and saw that thing coming I'd walk my own gangplank!
 
Photos won't copy normally when cutting and pasting is the technique. Photos must be individually uploaded from your computer for best results. Also photo url's posted from third party hosting sites have been known to be removed by those sites for various reasons leaving all the previously visible photos with little blank boxes anywhere they where posted online.

Confusing to me but hope it helps.
 
Why do I suddenly feel like I'watching the movie Cars, the sequel I mean... Something like that was shown there...

If you have seen it, you will know...
 
Ouch that's one ugly duckling,

And it has "Thunderbird 2" stern loading ramp!.
 

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Awesome weapon. Can't wait to hear the results. The ability to move that platform and air power so quickly will surely ruin the "mother ship" idea. The smaller, limited range pirate boats would be hard pressed to cover such distances without their mommy support.
 
Here are some recent photos of the LCS-2
(to be named the USS Independence).
These ships are also relatively inexpensive. This one is a bargain at $208 million, and the Navy plans to build 55 of them. This tri-maran is the first of a new fire breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots top speed...It's like a speedy and heavily armed aircraft carrier for helicopters. Pirates Beware!

GetInline.aspx
According to this wiki source, cost ballooned to over $700 million before the ship was delivered. Not so cheap after all?

USS Independence (LCS-2) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Other than the foredeck gun and the SeaWhiz on the aft superstructure the ship appears to have no other armament. Unless there's stuff that pops up out of hatches and whatnot.

PS-- And from Rick's link it sounds like these things (this one and the other LCS) don't work so good and are not nearly as effective as the new vessels the Chinese are putting out there. Sounds like it might be another case of technology for technology's sake, and not very good technology at that.

I wonder what sequestration will do, or has done, to this program?
 
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From what I've read lately this LCS 2 is a dismal failure. Here's a copy/paste from a Wikipedia article. The articles I've read suggest that not only is the ship WAAAAY over budget, it's too heavy, it doesn't meet the speed requirements laid out in the contracts and it's not heavily enough armed to go off by itself. It needs to have an escort of ships that are more heavily armed to protect it. It's basically designed to be a "strike and run" ship and is not designed or intended to engage in any kind of an ongoing battle.

Here's the Wikipedia article......

"The contract was awarded to General Dynamics in July 2003.[18] The contract to build her was then awarded to Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama, on 14 October 2005 and her keel was laid down on 19 January 2006. Delivery to the United States Navy was scheduled for December 2008.
The originally planned second General Dynamics ship (LCS-4) was canceled on 1 November 2007.[19] On 1 May 2009, a second vessel was reordered by the Navy, the Coronado (LCS-4). The keel was laid on 17 December 2009,[20] with delivery scheduled for May 2012.[21]
The Navy currently plans a new bidding process with the FY2010 budget between Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics for the next three littoral combat ships, with the winner building two ships and the loser only one.[22] USS Independence was christened 5 October 2008 by Doreen Scott, wife of 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry D. Scott.[23]
Austal has proposed a much smaller and slower trimaran, called the Multi-Role Vessel or Multi-Role Corvette. Though it is only half the size of their LCS design, it would still be useful for border protection and counter piracy operations.[24] Navy leaders said that the fixed price competition offered the Austal design an equal shot, in spite of its excess size and cost and limited service.[25]
The development and construction of Independence as of June 2009 was running at 220% over-budget. The total projected cost for the ship is $704 million. The Navy had originally projected the cost at $220 million.[26] Independence began builder's trials near Mobile, Alabama on 2 July 2009, three days behind schedule because of maintenance issues.[27]
In response to problems with the propulsion plant (the ship experienced a leak in the port gas turbine shaft seal), General Dynamics resequenced the builder's trials to test other systems until this was fixed.[28] The ship completed builder's trials on 21 October 2009[29] and acceptance trials on 19 November 2009.[30]
On 9 December 2009 the Navy announced that the ship had completed its first INSURV inspection. The inspection found 2,080 discrepancies, including 39 high-priority deficiencies, but concluded that all could be resolved before the Navy accepts the ship as scheduled. The ship was delivered to the Navy on 17 December 2009. On 18 December, the Navy officially accepted custody of the ship.[20] However the ship was found to be incomplete and a second round of acceptance trials was scheduled for 2011.[31]
The ship was commissioned on 16 January 2010 in Mobile, Alabama[32] and completed her maiden voyage in April 2010.[33]
In 2010 the Navy asked for an additional $5.3 million to correct problems found in the sea trials.[34] Galvanic corrosion caused by an aluminum hull in contact with the stainless steel propulsion system with sea water acting as an electrolyte, and electrical currents not fully isolated, caused "aggresive corrosion."[35][36] In 2011 the corrosion problem was found to be even worse than expected and repair would require time in a drydock to completely remove the water jets.[37]
In response Austal blamed the US Navy for not properly maintaining the ship.[38][39] However the Navy replied that the electrical insulation had been improperly installed during construction.[40] Later Austal said it had found a fix for the problem that would be tested on the third Austal LCS ship.[41]
Seven United State Senators have sent a letter to the Department of Defense questioning the management of the corrosion problems of Independence.[42] In July 2011, Navy Public Information Officer Christopher G. Johnson said that a "cathodic protection system" would be installed on the ship.[43] Such systems generally consist of strategically located deposits of "sacrificial metals" which act as an anode to reduce corrosion of the metal being protected.
 
It is a tri, I like the hull efficiency and 18 kt on diesel powered water jets and 44 kt on turbine powered water jets is the naval equivalent to a hybrid. At least attempting to be a little greener.
 
The littoral combat ships are designed for shallow water close to shore operation. They have stealth design for low radar return. They can support special ops by getting groups ashore quickly and stealthly. The new Virginia class subs were originally designed so that they could be used in a similar fashion.
 
Buy your own commercial version from lil' ol Wisconsin based Palmer Johnson...versions of earlier sport yachts left the factory with provisions for pop up weapons systems and berthing for a marine security detachment. Check out the link...


Palmer Johnson

PJ48SS.jpg
 
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She's a littoral and is supposed to have these cool modularized gun mount packages, but I think it's way overpriced for what it's capabilities are. She'll do fine for anti-piracy and brown water ops, but she should have cost about 25% of that amount. I'm guessing she'll be a one off or at least a small class for sure.
 
Best anti pirate platform around. Faster than any boat, effective firepower, long loiter time, air refuel capable, operates outside of small arms range, and cheap compared to another politically motivated boondoggle.

SteveH
 

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Well the problem isn't about firepower. We can't just start shooting at boats in international water. The LCS boats are also conduct ASW, mine laying and special forces ops.

Brown water boats are definitely a niche class, but they are needed in the fleet. The cost over-runs on this one are disappointing though.
 
There are ways to use the AC-130 in conjunction with naval assets to counter piracy.
 
There are ways to use the AC-130 in conjunction with naval assets to counter piracy.

There's no doubt we have lots of weapons systems to use, but in the end it comes down to running them down and interdiction.
 
And I was in the Air Force and anything in or on or under the water was a
A potential target.
 
Say! What a coincidence. I was in the sub force and everyone else, including the big skimmers ,were a target to us. :)

I flew in P-3's my first 10 years or so. We also called you guys targets... but seldom got a chance to actually find you guys. :)

US Submarine Forces are second to none.
 
And I was in the Air Force and anything in or on or under the water was a
A potential target.

Yeah... the Air Force ASW effort.

OH... you were talking about golf balls in the water hazard right?

:D
 
From what I read the navy should just plain scrap this expensive, good for nothing ship.
 
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