These are the seventh
and eighth ships fully funded for each contractor under its previously-awarded,
fixed-price incentive "block buy" contract for the design and
construction of up to 10 LCS Flight 0+ ships. The two block buy contracts
provide for the acquisition of a total of up to 20 Littoral Combat Ships
from fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2015, subject to availability
of appropriations.
The amount of funds added under the block buy contract with Lockheed Martin
Corporation for the fiscal year 2014 LCS ships is $699 million. The amount
of funds added under the block buy contract with Austal USA for the fiscal
year 2014 LCS ships is $684 million. The ships will be built at Fincantieri
Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wis., and Austal USA in Mobile,
Ala., respectively. |
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The
prices for the fiscal year 2014 ships were determined based on the competitive,
LCS dual block buy contracts that were awarded December 29, 2010.
The additional funding obligated is for the 17th – 20th ships
in the LCS class. Presently, four LCS have delivered to the Navy. USS
Freedom (LCS 1) concluded its first deployment in December 2013 and
is currently at its homeport in San Diego. USS Independence (LCS 2)
is undergoing Mine Counter-Measures developmental testing in San Diego.
USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) is scheduled to begin initial operational test
and evaluation of its surface warfare mission module in March, and Coronado
(LCS 4) is scheduled to be commissioned April 5, 2014, in Coronado,
Calif.
LCS is needed to fill critical, urgent warfighting requirements gaps
that exist today. LCS is required to establish and maintain U.S. Navy
dominance in the littorals and sea lines of communication choke points
around the world. |
USS Freedom
LCS-1 (picture: US Navy)
The Independence
(LCS-2) Littoral Combat Ship