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DSEI 2017: Lockheed Martin Unveils LCS 125M Concept Design for US Navy FFG(X)

Zarvan

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At DSEI 2017, the international defense trade show currently held in London, UK, Lockheed Martin unveiled the new LCS 125 meters. A company representative explained that this "concept" is representative of Lockheed Martin's answer to the U.S. Navy FFG(X) requirement.

LCS_125_m_FFG_X_Lockheed_Martin_DSEI_2017_1.JPG

The new LCS 125M unveiled at DSEI 2017

The US Department of Defense released a Request for Information (RFI) in July this year to let the industry know what the U.S. Navy is expecting from the Fast Frigate, Guided (Experimental) or FFG(X). The RFI says,"A competition for FFG(X) is envisioned to consider existing parent designs for a Small Surface Combatant that can be modified to accommodate the specific capability requirements prescribed by the US Navy."


The U.S. Navy wants a frigate that can keep up with carrier strike groups as well as conduct missions on its own. “The FFG(X) will normally aggregate into strike groups and Large Surface Combatant led surface action groups but also possess the ability to robustly defend itself during conduct of independent operations while connected and contributing to the fleet tactical grid.” The U.S. Navy expects the frigate to be survivable in complex scenarios: "FFG(X) will perform its missions in complex electronic warfare and anti-ship missile threat environments".

The new Frigate would likely replace the troubled, very modular, Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for typical "frigate missions". The U.S. Navy is requesting the FFG(X) to conduct the following missions:
- Over the horizon anti-surface warfare (ASuW )
- Anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
- Independently escort logistics ship convoys
- Electronic warfare (EW)
- Electronic signals intelligence and collection (ELINT)

The frigate displacement isn't mentionned in the RFI, but it is likely to be comprised between 4000 tons (if the design is to stay as close as possible to the LCS) and in excess of 6000 tons (in view of the requirements set by the U.S. Navy, which is particularly interested on how the shipbuilders can fit VLS for ESSM and Standard Missiles and how many).

The U.S. Navy intends to award a Detail Design and Construction contract for the first FFG(X) in 2020. The full RFI can be found at this link.

LCS_125_m_FFG_X_Lockheed_Martin_DSEI_2017_3.jpg

The new LCS 125M features no less that 16x anti-ship missile

Read Further details at link given below


https://www.navyrecognition.com/ind...cs-125m-concept-design-for-us-navy-ffg-x.html

@Rashid Mahmood @Horus @Oscar @Jango @Tipu7 @Sulman Badshah
 
Basically a small destroyer.
Well, no. The frigate measures 125 meters in length (compared to the 115 meters of the LCS). LCS was 3,500 t (3,900 short tons) full load displacement. The 125m will displace a bit more due to increased length. By comparison, a Perry class frigate displaces 4,100 long tons (4,200 t) full load.

1x BAE Systems Bofors Mk110 57mm as per the RFI
6x 0.5" HMGs
16x anti-ship missiles, likely LRASM or Harpoon Blk II ER+ (Lockheed stressed it fits any type of missile a customer wants, e.g. NSM/JSM):
at least 16x Mk 41 VLS cells for a mix or ESSM (up to 64) and/or Standard Missiles (up to 16), forward behind the main gun (NOTE: additional 2x8 cell seems present in the superstructure, behind the stack, between the 2 RWS). VLS may also take Nulka decoys (quad packed, which are not currently visible elsewhere)
1x 11-round SeaRAM launcher on top of the helicopter hangar as per the RFI (blk II missile range is over 20km)
2x SEWIP EW antennas/jammers,
4x Nulka decoy launchers,
2x RWS (which appear to be the Seahawk by MSI Defence) and
2x fire control radars (which appear to be Thales STIR 2.4)
1x TRS-4D radar
1x Sea Hawk ASW/ASuW helicopter

There are no shipmounted ASW weapons visible. There is no indication of a shipmounted sonar
It should be noted that earlier LCS frigate proposal included:
  • lightweight towed torpedo countermeasure
  • permanent multifunction towed array sonar
  • optional variable depth sonar
 
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