LCS 3 completes builder’s trials

A Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)-led industry team has completed builder’s sea trials for Fort Worth, the  third littoral combat ship.

The trials – a coordinated effort between the U.S. Navy and the Lockheed Martin team including shipbuilder Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) – were conducted in the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. They included operational testing of the vessel’s propulsion, communications, navigation and mission systems, as well as all support systems.

“Successful completion of Builder’s Sea Trials means we are on track for the Navy’s Acceptance Trials, putting us a big step closer to getting the Navy the ships it needs,” said Joe North, vice president of littoral ship systems for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Sensors business. “We support the Navy’s effort to grow their fleet affordably and effectively.”

The trial period included maneuverability tests; high-speed runs; power and navigation system checks; rescue boat launch and recovery; and tracking exercises, as well as other ship and system evaluations.

Following the successful completion of builder’s sea trials, Fort Worth returned to MMC to prepare for acceptance trials. LCS 3 will be delivered to the Navy next year and its home port will be San Diego, Calif.

Fort Worth, the second Freedom variant ship in the LCS program, was christened in December 2010. Lockheed Martin says it is more than 96 percent complete and remains on cost and on schedule. LCS 3 is being constructed with 30 percent fewer production hours as a result of lessons learned from designing and building LCS 1, USS Freedom.

The team began construction on LCS 5, the future USS Milwaukee, in August.

October 24, 2011