Feature 6
The contract for the Lockheed Martin
LCS-3 was valued at US$470.9 million,
although the ship will use certain
materials from an earlier LCS-3, which
was cancelled in April 2007, bringing the
total cost of the ship to US$548.9 million.
The contract for the General Dynamics
LCS-4, is worth US$433.7 million, but it
will also reuse materials from an earlier
cancelled LCS-4. This will bring the
total ship cost to US$547.7 million. The
costs are less than the current estimated
prices of the first pair of ships, which are
estimated at US$637 million for LCS-1
and US$704 million for LCS-2. In 2004,
the LCS was forecast to cost US$220
million per ship.
Independence under way during trials.
New machinery reduces fuel costs
The US Navy’s amphibious ship Makin Island (LHD 8)
arrived at its homeport of San Diego towards the end of
2009 after spending nearly two months at sea, during
which it is estimated that the ship’s machinery provided
a US$2 million saving in fuel costs.
Makin Island is the first US Navy amphibious assault
ship in which steam boilers have been replaced with
gas turbines, and the first US Navy surface ship to be
equipped with both gas turbines and an auxiliary
Propulsion System (aPS). Using this unique propulsion
system, the ship saved approximately US$2 million
in fuel costs during transit compared to a ship using
steam boilers.
Instead of using its gas turbines, which are less
efficient at lower speeds, the ship will be able to use its
The combined gas turbine/aPS machinery on Makin Island and
aPS for approximately 75% of the time it is underway.
the Replacement LHA will significantly reduce fuel costs.
Over the course of Makin Island’s life cycle, the US Navy
expects to see savings of more than US$250 million.
Because the gas turbines will be used infrequently, the
US Navy will also save on maintenance and lifecycle costs.
The next LHa, LHa 6 for the US Navy, America, which is being built at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding’s Ingalls
shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has the same gas turbine machinery as Makin Island. The america class will
replace the aging Tarawa class and will increase the aviation capacity of future big-deck amphibious ships.
LHa 6 will use the same gas turbine propulsion plant, zonal electrical distribution and electric auxiliary systems
designed for Makin Island (LHD 8), and also benefits from the same type of auxiliary propulsion system.
The LHa Replacement programme is the next step in the incremental development of the ‘Big Deck amphib,’
and the class is designed to accommodate the US Marine Corps’ future aviation Combat Element, including the
F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and Mv-22 Osprey with additional aviation maintenance capability and increased fuel
capacities, whilst also providing additional cargo stowage capacity and a more flexible command and control
capability.
Warship Technology March 2010 35
WT_Mar-2010_p34-35-36.indd 35 23/02/2010 17:01:40
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