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The SecDef and SecNav have both issused statements that the LCS program will end when the current contract for thirty-two ships has been completed. Starting in fiscal year 2019 production on an enhanced version of the LCS called the Small Surface Combatant (SSC) will begin.
The SSC will be an enhanced flight 0 LCS with an over-the-hoizon surface-to-surface missile, air defends upgrades in sensors and weapons, advanced decoys, a towed array, two 25mm guns, an armed helicopter equipped with Hellfire or Mk 54's, and a Firescout drone.
Mission modules include Longboat (Hellfire), two Mk46 guns, two 11m RHiB's or a VDS for anti-submarine warfare.
http://www.wearegreenbay.com/story/d/st ... yUHLlqw5iQ

Is it just me, or do you think they are regretting decom'ing the Perry's?

Another article, with Pictures!

http://news.usni.org/2014/12/11/gunned- ... -combatant

It's not like they've got much choice in the matter. The Perry's are old and thoroughly knackered by now

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Source Materiel is always welcome.

True, but the OHP was at least cheap ... I'm certainly no expert on this but that list does not sound cheap - it's shipping quite a lot of capable hardware, are they going to be able to get the number of hulls they want within budget?

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NSWE: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5695

Well the LCS in its current form is nothing more than an overpriced fast OPV. The SSC still doesn't have the firepower of a real frigate. Fitting it with the NSM will do fine.

I bet LCS will be used as a temporary solution or an stepping stone toward/for a frigate. and probably a pure frigate will come when they are planning something else that can be modified in to an frigate.

I also suggest fitting the SSC with ESSM in SD-Mk 41 and CEAFAR/CEAMOUNT for the SAM and the Oto Melara 76 mm Super Rapid for the gun (DART guided munitions is a plus). This will bring it to par with real frigates.

I'd like to remind everyone that the current LCS designs were truly the Flight 0 designs, and that the program always called for an evolution of them to different capabilities. The end of the LCS program is being called prematurely, even if the name goes away (as sometimes it must for political and budgetary reasons).
When you account for inflation, the OHPs are about as expensive as the LCSes are, and in the current environment the OHPs have two helos and some small guns, both of which the LCS also has, and the aviation facilities on the LCS designs are broadly superior to those on the OHPs.

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Yeah but that program included a standard missile loadout, a CIWS, sonar, torpedoes, far better blue water performance, far more endurance, air search radars (for the SMs), etc.

If it cost the same, the LCS is a giant loser.

same price..... is that keeping inflation in mind?
in addition, over the perry, the LCS has the mission modules, a lot better brown water performance (the USN has burkes for blue water, has it not) and with the lots and lots of aegis ships to cover them a bit, why would you give them the radars and other expensive kit if they do not need it, and make the ships heavier and more complex etc.

if they would be the same, the wars of today would not have changed. you cannot judge the LCS so black-white IMO. if anything, I doubt their speed, and the problems that arose because of it (construction material choice) but that is more an failure of the entire concept of the LCS then the ships themselves.

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