Competition for the contract began in 2002 when the General Dynamics-led team was named one of six finalists for initial work on the LCS. Last summer, the team was subsequently was awarded one of three contracts for preliminary design. Today's decision meant the General Dynamics team and the Lockheed Martin team each received final design contracts. A second contract was awarded to the Lockheed Martin team for $46.5 million for detailed design work.
"This is good news for BIW and a tribute to its highly skilled employees who brought ingenuity and skill to this project," said Senator Collins. "The Chief of Naval Operations has identified the LCS program as one of the highest priorities for the Navy. This contract award ensures that Bath remains at the forefront of innovative ship design."
Senator Collins successfully secured full funding for the LCS project in the Senate Defense Authorization legislation. The House Defense Authorization legislation delays the project a year and does not include full funding. Senator Collins said she will continue working to ensure that full funding remains in the final version of the bill.
The Littoral Combat Ship is a high speed, high performance warfighter that is designed to operate in shallow waters close to shore. It is equipped with interchangeable mission modules that allow the ship to support a variety of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and mine warfare. The LCS Program is among the Navy's top priorities. The Navy's long-term plan includes the potential purchase of up to sixty LCS.