The U.S. Navy’s Big Littoral Combat Ship Mistake Still Stings

The U.S. Navy’s Big Littoral Combat Ship Mistake Still Stings

Key Points and Summary – As the final Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is delivered, a review of the program’s mixed legacy shows it was a gamble that didn’t pay off. Conceived in the post-9/11 era for low-intensity coastal missions, the LCS was plagued by cost overruns, technical failures, and a failed “mission module” concept. PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 1, 2024) The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26) comes alongside the Nimitz-clas…