USN x-craft 'Sea Fighter' gaining support for production

The U.S. Navy officially took possession of the first of a new class of ships; a Littoral Surface Craft (LSC) called “Sea Fighter” (FSF-1). This ship was originally intended as an experimental ship, to test out a number of new technologies. But the sea trials were so successful, that pressure is building to put this class into mass production. That won’t be hard to do. Sea Fighter took only twenty months to build, and cost only $50 million. Ships like this are meant for a new force, the "brown water (coastal) navy." The “brown water sailors,” who are agitating for more emphasis on small ships, and operations in coastal waters, are no longer considered a fringe group. This is mainly because a larger brown water force would get the navy more involved with the war on terror. The navy has largely been left out of the war on terror, because of their emphasis on carriers and nuclear subs. Despite the usefulness of carrier aviation in Afghanistan, the navy hasn’t had a lot to do since September 11, 2001. The army is getting most of the work, and a growing proportion of the defense budget. With the cost of traditional warships skyrocketing, the LCS (3,000 ton, $250 million Littoral Combat Ship) and the LSC look a lot more attractive. New destroyers will cost $2.5 billion each. That gets you ten LCSs, or fifty LSCs. New carriers cost over $8 billion each, which could built a fleet of brown water ships.

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Cool, the little ship that could... I would put one or two 50 cal. on that though.

[edit on 2-8-2005 by NWguy83]

Wow it can go at like 50 knots thats really fast! Intresting Idea, I think we had a plan for a huge fleet of small, cheap, missile boats at one time. There is the link.

Originally posted by blue cell
Wow it can go at like 50 knots thats really fast! Intresting Idea, I think we had a plan for a huge fleet of small, cheap, missile boats at one time. There is the link.

Looks like the HSV...

HSV

These ships are great and all, but traditional warships are much more apt for blue water, long range duties and escorting carriers, which may cost hundreds of times more to build, but give you thousands of times more potential firepower.

These ships aren't intended to replace the big DDG's or anything, they are for littoral work - specops team delivery and the like.

yeah I feel that a mix of blue water and brown water have been proven as a need since that century ww2 the US had a brown and blue water navies as did they in vietnam, looks like the US is seeing the need for it once agian.

That is a pretty open platform for hundreds of different weapon systems: missile boats, rocket ships (cheaper than missiles), heavy rocket assisted arty barge, anti-ship railgun, aa platform with the sharpel throwing cannon being developmented, fast naval mine layer...etc.

an uber pt boat?

if it works and is cheap put it in service! Its been since vietnam that the navy had a cheap mass porducted quickly ship long over do imo~!

Interesting... wonder if it will work... It looks relly nice inside...