Lockheed Martin Receives Freedom-variant FFG(X) Conceptual Design Contract.

The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $15 million contract to mature its Freedom-variant Frigate design as a part of the Navy's FFG(X) competition. Lockheed Martin submitted its Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) parent design in response to the U.S. Navy's FFG(X) conceptual design solicitation with Fincantieri Marinette Marine as its shipbuilder and Gibbs & Cox as its naval architect.

 Lockheed Martin "Freedom-Variant" Frigate unveiled at SNA 2018

Lockheed Martin submitted its Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) parent design in response to the U.S. Navy's FFG(X) conceptual design solicitation with Fincantieri Marinette Marine as its shipbuilder and Gibbs & Cox as its naval architect.

"We are proud of our 15-year partnership with the U.S. Navy on the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship and look forward to extending it to FFG(X)," said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small combatants and ship systems. "Built to U.S. Navy shipbuilding standards, our frigate design offers an affordable, low-risk answer to meeting the Navy's goals of a larger and more capable fleet."

Our coverage on the Freedom-variant Frigate at SNA 2018

The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. There are eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.

Demonstrating the Freedom-variant LCS design flexibility and ability to integrate increased capabilities, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces selected an LCS derivative, the Multi-Mission Surface Combatant, to fulfill its small combatant requirement. This is the first sale in over three decades of a U.S.-built surface combatant to a foreign partner nation.

For more information, check out our Lockheed Martin FFG(X) coverage at SNA 2018.

The U.S. Navy down selected five ship designs to compete for the FFG(X) Frigate Program on February 16, 2018. To learn about the other designs, following this link.