Lockheed Martin awarded contract for LCS 19 post delivery support.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems has been awarded a $US 12,7 million modification to a previously awarded contract, from the U.S. Navy, to exercise an option for class design and option for post-delivery support for USS St. Louis (LCS 19). This option exercise is for post-delivery support of USS St. Louis (LCS 19) of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.

The USS St. Louis (LCS 19) of the U.S. Navy (Picture Source: U.S. Navy)

Lockheed Martin will perform the planning and implementation of deferred design changes that have been identified during the construction period. The corrections and upgrades are necessary to support St. Louis Sailaway and follow-on post-delivery test and trials period.

Work is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2014 and 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,500,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

As a reminder, the USS St. Louis is a Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) of the U.S. Navy. It has been built by Marinette Marine and has been christened and launched on 15 December 2018. Then, it has been assigned to the Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two.

It has a full displacement of 3,900 tonnes, a length of 115m, a beam of 17m and a draft of 4m. It can reach speeds up to 45 knots (sea state 3) and ranges up to 3,500 nautical miles (at 18 knots), with an endurance of about 21 days. It is armed with a Mk 110 57mm gun, RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles, Honeywell Mk 50 torpedoes, NETFIRES PAM missiles, and two .50 calibre (12.7mm) guns. It can also be fitted with four Bushmaster 30mm guns and can accommodate 2 MH-60R/S Seahawks and an MQ-8 Fire Scout.