- We went on board the Kansas City LCS 22, an Independence-Class Littoral combat ship, in San Diego.
- The littoral combat ship is designed to move "out of the brown, into the blue" - close to the shoreline and out in the deep blue sea.
- It's a nimble ship, with a modular design, but it's also controversial.
The U.S.
It is one of the most nimble ships the Navy has ever created. It's also controversial, with critics calling out its troubled history and saying it breaks down too easily. As recently as 2018, and after billions of dollars in investment, it wasn't clear the Littoral Combat Ship program had much of a future at all.
With a price tag at around $500 million, the littoral is designed to move "out of the brown, into the blue" - meaning it operate in shallow, "brown" water that's close to the shoreline, as well as out in the deep blue sea.
Littoral ships like this one utilize a modern water jet thrust propulsion system, like a jet ski, which means that it doesn't have propellers to get tangled or stuck on reefs. There is also a 360 degree bow thruster that gives the USS Kansas City the ability to spin in place without the need for assistance from tugboats.
The ship easily reaches speeds of 40 knots - 46 mph. It feels like you are flying on the water at high speed and is remarkably smooth and stable.
The aluminum trimaran, with its three hulls, can sit in water that's as shallow as 14-foot deep. The stern (rear) is very wide, allowing for two helicopters to land simultaneously. The bow (front) is needle-like with a large gun. The bridge of the ship is more like that of a modern aircraft.
No more large clunky brassy handled controls, joy sticks and large computer screens surround the crew. The chairs inside the bridge are ergonomic, modern, and comfortable.
"I get to go where other ships can't go," Commander Officer Christopher Brusca said during a recent tour of the boat. Constructed by Austal USA, it was designed with the South China Sea in mind. "You have all those man-made islands. Well, we can get much closer to those man-made islands and challenge those claims. The freedom of the seas is a big part of what we do," he said.
The littoral class has a three-part mission package: mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and surface warfare. Its aluminum construction makes it anti-magnetic and lightweight, which is ideal for mine detection. Much of the Independence class littoral design is modular, and missile systems can be upgraded and changed out.
The USS Kansas City will go into dry dock in 2023 and is expected to have a 25 year life in the Navy.
"We are starting to outfit this these things with more lethality," said Rear Admiral Robert Nowakowski. "We have to adjust for the threat of competitors. So it's really interesting, we're learning at being dynamic, and just like any business we are adapting to make sure that we are ready for the fight. Because if we don't adapt, we are gonna lose it."
The crew of 41 work in close quarters, like a submarine, and will often handle several task aboard ship. Life aboard the USS Kansas City is task driven, time off is spent studying for future qualifications and moving up in rank.
Two crews - "Blue" and "Gold" - rotate on and off the ship every 4-5 months, similar to how submarine crews operate. And like in a submarine, working on a LCS can be tough with long days in close quarters completing tasks above their rank. Men and women work on all parts of the ship.
During shore leave, when the crew is away from the ship, they do more advanced training in the classroom and using virtual reality systems.
Crew members are enticed to stay on the ship's crew with perks like free college. The first and original crew are proudly designated Plankowners, they see the ship as theirs.
There are few amenities onboard. An open area weight room is available along with a small crew lounge, no bowling alley or theatre on board. The meals are good, according to the ship's crew - the burgers served on Wednesdays are especially popular.