Can New Missiles Save LCS, US Navy's Most Controversial Warship?

Orr says that early models, such as the USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Independence (LCS-2), have been decommissioned despite their intended 25-year service lives. He states the LCS has been plagued by propulsion system failures, contractor-dependent maintenance, and difficulty swapping mission configurations.

He mentions that LCS critics argue that the ships are under-armed and unable to survive in hostile combat environments. According to him, the initially planned fleet of 55 LCSs was reduced to 35, reflecting the program's struggles.

These issues have led to calls to scrap the LCS program. In an April 2023 Proceedings article , Anthony Carrillo argues that it should be scrapped due to its numerous shortcomings and high costs.

Carrillo points out that despite over a decade of development, the LCS has failed to meet expectations, with early models like the USS Freedom and USS Independence being decommissioned after just 13 and 11 years of service, respectively.

He argues that the ships have been plagued by propulsion system failures, high maintenance costs, and limited survivability, mainly due to their aluminum hulls, which are prone to cracking and corrosion. He points out that the LCS's operational range is also restricted, requiring frequent refueling, which hampers its ability to conduct missions effectively.

Additionally, Carrillo says the program's high costs, estimated at over USD 60 billion for 35 ships and 44 mission modules, do not justify its limited capabilities.

Further, he states that the US Navy's decision to retain only 21 of the 35 planned ships further underscores the program's failure.

Given these issues, Carrillo views the LCS program as a drain on resources, with its ships better suited for cannibalization to support other naval assets. He argues that the US Navy should focus on more capable and cost-effective platforms like the Constellation-class frigates to meet its operational needs.

Viewing the LCS program in a different light, Pete Pagano argues in an August 2024 Proceedings article that the LCS concept warrants reconsideration due to its potential to fulfill critical roles in modern naval warfare despite initial flaws.

While Pagano acknowledges the program's rough start, he says recent improvements in propulsion and mission packages show promise. He points out that the Freedom variant's propulsion problems have been addressed, and surface warfare and mine countermeasures mission packages have been validated.

Pagano mentions that while critics argue that the LCS cannot contribute to high-end combat, advancements in over-the-horizon antiship missiles and Hellfire Longbows have proven otherwise.

Further, he says the LCS's large flight decks and mission bays make it suitable for amphibious operations and supporting US Marine Corps missions. He also notes that the LCS can serve as fleet scouts, employing manned and unmanned aerial systems to reposition and engage enemy forces rapidly.

With the right enhancements, Pagano says the LCS can become a valuable asset in the US Navy's fleet, capable of executing various missions in diverse operational environments.

While the Constellation-class frigates were developed in response to the LCS program's earlier failures and a capability gap brought by the retirement of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, the Constellation-class program has its challenges.

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In a 1945 article this month, Robert Farley mentions that the program has encountered significant challenges despite the Constellation class's promise of advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities and a multi-role platform with 32 vertical launching system (VLS) cells and modern sensors.

Farley points out that adapting the European FREMM frigate design to the US Constellation class has increased costs from USD 800 million to USD 1.3 billion, with construction delays and workforce issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He states that the first ship's delivery has been pushed to 2029, raising concerns about speed, affordability, and scalability.

Farley adds that the concurrent construction and design process has resulted in weight growth, potentially reducing the ships' speed below 25 knots and complicating future modifications. Further, he says Marinette Shipyard, the Constellation class's builder, has workforce problems that have delayed the program, creating a capability gap as the US Navy retires Ticonderoga-class cruisers.

The push to repurpose the LCS may follow the same lines of effort with its problematic Zumwalt-class destroyers , with the US Navy trying to justify a sunk-cost fallacy.

Perhaps the saving grace of trying to revive the LCS would be giving the US more hulls to match China's People's Liberation Army – Navy (PLAN), currently the world's largest navy in terms of hull numbers .

Asia Times has previously pointed out that historical evidence shows that the side with the larger fleet usually wins naval battles and that sheer numbers often trump short-lived technological advantages.

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