Lockheed Martin Team Gets $198m for Construction of LCS

The U.S. Navy awarded a Lockheed Martin-led team nearly $198m for construction of the Navy's third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). This is the second LCS awarded to the Lockheed Martin team. The Lockheed Martin team will begin construction in the first quarter of 2007 at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, LA. The ship will be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2009. The U.S. Congress authorized and appropriated the funds for this additional ship in the fiscal year 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. Bollinger Shipyards has already played an active role in the LCS program. During the construction of the first LCS, Freedom (LCS 1), Bollinger constructed one of the ship's stern modules, giving their Lockport workforce the opportunity to train on LCS processes and further demonstrating the strength and integration capabilities of the Lockheed Martin team. Freedom, the nation's first LCS, is currently under construction at Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI. The Lockheed Martin team was awarded the contract for Freedom in December 2004, began construction of the ship in February 2005 and laid its keel in June 2005. The ship will be christened this fall and delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2007. The Lockheed Martin team design for LCS is a survivable, semi-planing steel monohull that provides outstanding maneuverability with proven sea- keeping characteristics to support launch and recovery operations, mission execution and optimum crew comfort. The LCS will be the first surface combatant to be classed under the new Naval Vessel Rules by the American Bureau of Shipping.