LCS Gets Gulf Ready?
September 29, 2009
Raymond Pritchett caught the addition of 2x30mm chainguns (immediately behind the stacks) on USS Freedom (LCS-1) in this US Navy photo. Is she Gulf bound as was predicted earlier?
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BTW, are they planning to do something about that increasingly oxidized exterior finish on the superstructure ?
Just askin’… ;)
Ken Adams said : “The weight and moment for the weapons module stations has always been included in the LCS design.”
Unless the gross overweight observed on the LockMart design was included in the original design (yeah…), or somehow disappeared without NAVSEA and/or LockMart beating their chest in the mainstream press about yet another tremendous achievement (yeah…), then adding more topweight isn’t good news. I suspect that this was what Byron was actually referring to.
It still bothers me that apparently they cannot take on the mine warfare or ASW role without removing the 30 mm. Obviously the weight moment must be a factor or these guns would be permanent.
Also I was disappointed to see how far they were from the deck edge, restricting their arcs of fire.
The weight and moment for the weapons module stations has always been included in the LCS design. This is not a thoughtless bolt-on.
I wouldn’t put too much into the fact that the guns are currently installed. The stbd gun was aboard the ship when I saw her in Little Creek back in July. The ship has been doing various tests and qualifications when it’s been underway. Recently, a video from structure test firings made its way onto YouTube.
Good point Byron!
Just what that boat needed, more top-hamper. Let’s hope she doesn’t run into any heavy weather.