SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - USS Freedom LCS-1 soon and very soon

Takao · 06-26-08, 04:03 PM

Well, at the numbers I have been seeing, I hardly think $630-$677 million qualifies as expendable. The Congressional budget Office has placed the cost per ship, upon series production of 55 ships, at $450 million. The $450 million does not include the cost for "mission modules", just the ship "as is." Who knows how much the cost of the "mission modules" will be, $80 million per module according to some sources. Now, that would give the LCS a cost of $530 million. But, where is the flexibility in that? There isn't any, to have some flexibility, you would need two or three modules. Now, you are talking $610-$690 million per ship. At $690 million per copy, why not just build another DDG-51. Delving further into the LCS lunacy. One of the ships the LCS is intended to replace is the MCM-1 Avenger class minesweepers. If my math is correct, an MCM-1 would cost roughly $200 million dollars to produce
today versus a LCS with 1 module at $530 million. That is two MCM-1s for an LCS and you still have $130 million in the bank!

Going further, the USN is using the assumption that the LCS will be operating under the protection of the yet-to-be-built DDG-1000 and CG-X class ships. Given the spiraling cost of the LCS, the base cost of a DDG-1000 or CG-X will make them prohibitively expensive and limit the number, if any, that are built. Thus, the Navy will be faced with a choice of increasing the size, capability, and cost of the LCS or operating the very vulnerable LCS in a much more hostile environment.

In conclusion, this cost of this limited value, minor combat vessel of is approaching the cost of other nations' larger combat vessels without any increase in the LCS's fighting ability or capability.

06-26-08, 04:03 PM	#57
Takao Officer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 244 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Well, at the numbers I have been seeing, I hardly think $630-$677 million qualifies as expendable. The Congressional budget Office has placed the cost per ship, upon series production of 55 ships, at $450 million. The $450 million does not include the cost for "mission modules", just the ship "as is." Who knows how much the cost of the "mission modules" will be, $80 million per module according to some sources. Now, that would give the LCS a cost of $530 million. But, where is the flexibility in that? There isn't any, to have some flexibility, you would need two or three modules. Now, you are talking $610-$690 million per ship. At $690 million per copy, why not just build another DDG-51. Delving further into the LCS lunacy. One of the ships the LCS is intended to replace is the MCM-1 Avenger class minesweepers. If my math is correct, an MCM-1 would cost roughly $200 million dollars to produce today versus a LCS with 1 module at $530 million. That is two MCM-1s for an LCS and you still have $130 million in the bank! Going further, the USN is using the assumption that the LCS will be operating under the protection of the yet-to-be-built DDG-1000 and CG-X class ships. Given the spiraling cost of the LCS, the base cost of a DDG-1000 or CG-X will make them prohibitively expensive and limit the number, if any, that are built. Thus, the Navy will be faced with a choice of increasing the size, capability, and cost of the LCS or operating the very vulnerable LCS in a much more hostile environment. In conclusion, this cost of this limited value, minor combat vessel of is approaching the cost of other nations' larger combat vessels without any increase in the LCS's fighting ability or capability.