Mixed Messages On LCS Program

U.S. Navy officials say they remain committed to deploying the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1), the USS Freedom, to Singapore as a warship. But at the same time, service officials and other government supporters of the vessel say it should really be viewed as an R&D prototype shedding light on what design changes will be needed for the rest of the class. Those types of mixed messages, defense analysts say, are hampering the Navy’s efforts to make the continued case for buying and deploying the 55 LCS ships it wants — a total program estimated at $37.4 billion ...