The U.S. Navy is studying the feasibility of incorporating additional capabilities, including “local air defense” and “enhanced survivability features,” into its Future Frigate, the service said April 10.
And while the Navy previously said it would base the frigate on one of two existing Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) variants, it is now exploring “other existing hull forms” as part of the study, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) said in a written response to questions.
Photo: U.S. Navy
The study was prompted by several factors, including the emergence of “increasingly complex” threats and the Navy’s growing desire to operate its forces in a more “distributed” manner, NAVSEA explained.
The Navy plans to present the study results to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and congressional defense committees “later this spring,” NAVSEA said. The results are expected to “inform” deliberations on the Navy’s fiscal year 2018 budget request.
“Our goal is to get the best capability possible in our future frigate, at an affordable price, and with a mature design that will ensure a relevant platform for decades to come,” NAVSEA said.
In February, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged the Navy to open its Future Frigate program to more competition to ensure it gets the most capable ship possible. A recent McCain white paper says the frigate should have capabilities that LCS falls short in, including the ability to: attack enemy surface ships at over-the-horizon ranges with multiple salvos; defend nearby noncombatant ships from air and missile threats; conduct long-duration escort or patrol missions, including anti-submarine warfare, without frequent refueling; and survive in contested environments.
Lockheed Martin [LMT] is the prime contractor for the LCS Freedom variant, which has a steel monohull. Austal USA has the same role for the Independence variant, which has an aluminum trimaran hull.