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Navy launches U.S.S. Independence, first of new class of weapons-bristling speedster trimarans
DVICE (SciFi) ^ | May 2008

Posted on 05/07/2008 8:24:11 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot

We’ve been hearing rumblings about the U.S. Navy’s triple-hulled ships, but here’s one that was launched last month, the U.S.S Independence. Built by General Dynamics, it’s called a “littoral combat ship” (LCS), and the trimaran can move huge weapons around faster than any ship in the Navy. Ironic that with all that high tech built in, the ship reminds us of the Merrimac ironclad from Civil War days.

Littoral means close to shore, and that’s where these fleet-hulled babies will operate, tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns.

These ships were designed to be relatively inexpensive — this one’s a bargain at $208 million — and the navy plans to build 55 of them. This trimaran is the first of the new fire-breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots. It's like a speedy and heavily-armed aircraft carrier for helicopters.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: littoral; navy; ships; trimarans; trimorans
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To: STARWISE
Aloha Starwise!

60 knots sounds like a stretch.

San Diego to Pearl Harbor in two days?
41 posted on 05/07/2008 9:04:13 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (MSM-Keelhauling the News daily!)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

Where’s the Phalanx?


42 posted on 05/07/2008 9:05:52 PM PDT by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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To: STARWISE

SAN DIEGO (NNS) — The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Class Squadron (CLASSRON) was formally established Feb. 15 in San Diego.

I have seen then inperson. Really great.


43 posted on 05/07/2008 9:15:14 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Don't Blame Me - I Supported Duncan Hunter)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

Fair winds and following seas!!

Go Navy!


44 posted on 05/07/2008 9:16:40 PM PDT by Dominnae (When asked by a Persian emissary for his weapons, King Leonidas said "Come and take them.")
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To: bill1952
>>>They aren't thinking of steaming a tri-hull over the ocean to say, the Red Sea, are they? <<<

It's perfectly capable of crossing oceans. And I imagine its promary mission will be in Persian Gulf waters....off Iran perhaps.

What worries you about an ocean passage in a tri-hull? It looks to be destroyer sized, and the trihull will give one heck of a lot smoother ride!

45 posted on 05/07/2008 9:32:54 PM PDT by HardStarboard (Take No Prisoners - We're Out Of Qurans)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

Cat ping!


46 posted on 05/07/2008 9:56:20 PM PDT by NoLibZone (Is the purpose of the 2nd amendment to brag at gun shows and chat rooms?)
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To: BIGLOOK

IIRC The HUGE Containership Sealand McLean holds the Pacific crossing record at four days eighteen hours. I think that was San Francisco to Japan. The ship was huge, but was one of I think three traded to the Government in the seventies as they were too expensive to operate, and the theory of the times that speed was everything to compete in that Industry turned out to be not true.

My point is that a vessel the size of the SL-7 Sealand McLean, (it was the largest of its day, and way ahead of its time within the industry) can cross the Pacific in that amount of time, it’s quite realistic to believe these trimarans could achieve that stated speed.


47 posted on 05/07/2008 9:57:43 PM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...call 'em what you will...They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: Westlander
No phalanx CIWS. It has a 21-Cell Rolling Airframe Missile Launcher, a 57mm cannon, and two 50 cals.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/gd-lcs-side-001.jpg

48 posted on 05/07/2008 9:58:02 PM PDT by rmlew (Down with the ersatz immanentization of the eschaton known as Globalism.)
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To: bill1952
Uh, what are we going to do with a fleet of coastal ships?

Take care of Pirates and Persians.

It's not all that big. Plenty of things could carry it, if it can'd self deploy.

LOA — 127.6 m
BOA — 31.6 m
Draft - 4.4m
Displacement Full Load ~ 3120MT
Max Speed (Lightload) >40 knots
Mission Bay: 1,100 sq.m. (11,800 sq. ft.)
Flight Deck :1,030 sq.m. (11,100 sq. ft.)

49 posted on 05/07/2008 10:16:58 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: HardStarboard

>What worries you about an ocean passage in a tri-hull?

Years of sailing and many dead multi-hull ocean sailor friends.


50 posted on 05/07/2008 10:17:27 PM PDT by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: rockinqsranch
I've seen Enterprise go to flank speed and disappear over the horizon leaving behind her pickets while running before a typhoon. Saw USN Mk V SEAL boats too....speed over the water simply amazing.

I calculated 60 knots from San Diego to Pearl at 37 hours but there's a give and take for rough seas and weather, so 48 hours at speed is more in line with the sea conditions a ship would encounter. Still PDQ.

Only got a 35 knot speed on a SL-7 SeaLand but that's impressive. Are they gas/turbine?
51 posted on 05/07/2008 10:34:46 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (MSM-Keelhauling the News daily!)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

It’s about time, and thanks to Congressman Duncan Hunter!


52 posted on 05/07/2008 10:39:01 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

It needs lasers and rail guns.


53 posted on 05/07/2008 10:42:29 PM PDT by Eye of Unk (The world WILL be cleaner, safer and more productive without Islam.)
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To: bill1952
"Uh, what are we going to do with a fleet of coastal ships?"

Their survivability will be better than that of a large ship that costs much more than many of them. A few months ago, an uninvited Chinese submarine surfaced next to one of our carriers during a naval exercise, although that's not the worst threat that the LCSs would be good to counter.


54 posted on 05/07/2008 10:52:47 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

It does look kinda like the Merrimac.


55 posted on 05/08/2008 12:07:35 AM PDT by El Gran Salseron ("Terisn" is my new favorite word. Thank you, Allegra.)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

seems undergunned for its size


56 posted on 05/08/2008 1:18:40 AM PDT by patch789
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To: farlander
For 200M !? Holy crap. That’s like, pocket change.

Including a mission module EACH LCS is up to the vicinity of $700 Million dollars at the moment.

I can't emphasize enough what a disaster this program has been. Wish I could say more.

Take all the gee-whiz articles you see about these vessels, print them out, and use them for toilet paper.

57 posted on 05/08/2008 1:48:13 AM PDT by Strategerist
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To: Toddsterpatriot
ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots.

I can't even comment on this part of the article because I literally was rolling around on the floor laughing.

58 posted on 05/08/2008 1:51:39 AM PDT by Strategerist
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To: Toddsterpatriot

$208 Million WELL SPENT! God bless the United States Navy.


59 posted on 05/08/2008 1:53:57 AM PDT by John Leland 1789
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To: John Leland 1789

Sigh.

What part of “The person that wrote this article is an imbecile who knows nothing about either LCS” do you not understand?

As now upwards of a half-dozen people have pointed out, the cost for just the seaframe is now over $550 million dollars and it’s pretty clear the out-the-door price with mission modules is going to end up being somewhere in the vicinity of $700 million dollars when all is said and done(for both the LM and GD seaframes.)


60 posted on 05/08/2008 2:00:51 AM PDT by Strategerist
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