January 2011 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 9. UNITED STATES NAVY NEWS


Littoral Combat Ship Contract Award Announced


Special from Navy Office of Information WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal USA each a fixed-price incentive contract for the design and construction of a 10 ship block-buy, for a total of 20 littoral combat ships from fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2015. The amount awarded to Lockheed Mar- tin Corp. for fiscal 2010 littoral combat ships is $436,852,639. The amount awarded to Austal USA for the fiscal 2010 littoral combat ships is $432,069,883.


Both contracts also include line items for nine additional ships, subject to Congres- sional appropriation of each year’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program requirements. When all 10 ships of each block buy are awarded, the value of the ship construction portion of the two contracts would be $3,620,625,192 for Lockheed Martin Corp., and $3,518,156,851 for Austal USA. The av- erage cost of both variants including govern- ment-furnished equipment and margin for potential cost growth across the five year period is $440 million per ship. The pricing for these ships falls well below the escalated average Congressional cost cap of $538 mil- lion.


“The awards represent a unique and valuable opportunity to lock in the benefits of competition and provide needed ships to our fleet in a timely and extraordinarily cost effec- tive manner,” said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.


This award is a unique opportunity to maximize the buying power on the LCS Pro- gram by leveraging the highly effective com- petition between the bidders. Each contractor’s 10-ship bids reflect mature de- signs, investments made to improve perfor- mance, stable production, and continuous labor learning at their respective shipyards. The award was based on limited competition between teams led by Lockheed Martin and Austal USA. Under these contracts, both shipbuilders will also deliver a technical data package as part of the dual award, allowing the government a wide range of viable alter- natives for effective future competition. This approach, which is self-financed within the program by adding a year to the procurement and utilizing a portion of the greater than $2 billion total savings (through- out the Future Years Defense Program), en- ables the Navy to efficiently produce these ships at an increased rate and meet opera- tional requirements sooner.


Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead praised the Navy’s plan to add both ship designs to the fleet: “The LCS is uniquely designed to win against 21st cen- tury threats in coastal waters posed by in-


creasingly capable submarines, mines and swarming small craft. Both designs provide the capabilities our Navy needs, and each offers unique features that will provide fleet commanders with a high level of flexibility in employing these ships.”


The innovation and willingness to seize opportunities displayed in this LCS competi- tion reflect exactly the improvements to ‘the way we do business’ in order to deliver better value to the taxpayer and greater capability to the warfighter. Moreover, the Navy’s LCS acquisition strategy meets the spirit and in- tent of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009 and reflects the Navy’s commitment to affordability. The benefits of competition, serial production, employment of mature technologies, design stability, fixed-price contracting, commonality, and economies of scale will provide a highly af- fordable ship construction program. “The rigor and diligence of the source selection process has resulted in the acquisi- tion of quality, capable ships at fair prices,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Sean Stackley. “This dual award strategy exemplifies the Navy’s compliance with Sec- retary Gates’ and Under Secretary Carter’s direction to improve the buying power of the Defense Department. Both teams have shown cost control on their second ships, and we look forward to the delivery of these capable fleet assets in the future.” The Navy remains committed to a 55- ship program and the LCS is needed to fill critical, urgent warfighting requirements gaps that exist today. The LCS Program is required to establish and maintain U.S. Navy dominance in the littorals and sea lanes of communication choke points around the world. The LCS Program operational require- ments have been virtually unchanged since the program’s inception in 2002 and the both hull forms will meet the Navy’s operational warfighting requirements.


Navy Launches First Aircraft Using Electromagnetic System From Naval Air Systems Command PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) — The Navy made history Dec. 18 when it launched the first aircraft from the Naval Air Systems Com- mand (NAVAIR), Lakehurst, N.J., test site using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, technology. The Navy has been using steam for more than 50 years to launch aircraft from carriers. The Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) program launched an F/ A-18E Super Hornet Dec. 18 using the EMALS technology that will replace steam catapults on future aircraft carriers. “This is a tremendous achievement not


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just for the ALRE team, but for the entire Navy,” said Capt. James Donnelly, ALRE program manager. “Saturday’s EMALS launch demonstrates an evolution in carrier flight deck operations using advanced com- puter control, system monitoring and auto- mation for tomorrow’s carrier air wings.” EMALS is a complete carrier-based launch system designed for Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and future Ford-class carriers. “I thought the launch went great,” said Lt. Daniel Radocaj, the test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX 23) who made the first EMALS manned launch. “I got excited once I was on the catapult, but I went through the same procedures as on a steam catapult. The catapult stroke felt similar to a steam catapult and EMALS met all of the expectations I had.”


The current aircraft launch system for Navy aircraft carriers is the steam catapult. Newer, heavier and faster aircraft will result in launch energy requirements approaching the limits of the steam catapult system. The mission and function of EMALS remains the same as the steam catapult; how- ever, EMALS employs entirely different technologies. EMALS will deliver the neces- sary higher launch energy capacity as well as substantial improvements in system weight, maintenance, increased efficiency and more accurate end-speed control.


“I felt honored to be chosen as the shooter to help launch the first live aircraft tested on the new EMALS track at Lakehurst,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Brandon Barr, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Test De- partment, Lakehurst. “It was very exciting to knowingly be a part of naval aviation history. Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class Hunsaker and Robinson, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class


Williams, Wong and Simmons, were the Sail- ors on my team who worked together to help make this test a success. We all look forward to seeing this cutting edge technology de- ployed on the Gerald R. Ford.”


“I’m excited about the improvement EMALS will bring to the fleet from a capability and reliability perspective,” said Cmdr. Russ McCormack, ALRE, PMA-251, deputy pro- gram manager for future systems. “EMALS was designed for just that purpose, and the team is delivering that requirement.” The system’s technology allows for a smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds, increasing the carrier’s ability to launch aircraft in support of the warfighter. The system will provide the capability for launching all current and future carrier air wing platforms – lightweight unmanned to heavy strike fighters. Engineers will continue system functional demonstration testing at NAVAIR Lakehurst. The team will expand aircraft launches with the addition of T-45 and C-2 aircraft in 2011.


USS Maine Blue Crew Recognized for Long Patrol


By Lt. Ed Early, Commander, Submarine Group 9 Public Affairs


BANGOR, WA (NNS) — The Blue Crew of the Trident ballistic missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) was honored Dec. 16 by the commander of Submarine Group 9 for completing a 105-day strategic deterrent pa- trol – one of the longest patrols in recent history for a Bangor-based SSBN. During morning quarters at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Rear Adm. Bob Hennegan expressed his appreciation to Maine’s Blue Crew, which returned home Dec. 4. He also presented the Blue Crew with the Sea Service


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