Team Ship

Keel Laid for future USS Coronado
By Team Ships Public Affairs

12/14/2009 - The keel for LCS 4, the future USS Coronado, was authenticated by workers at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., during a short ceremony on Dec 17. Keel authentication is the symbolic recognition of the start of ship construction.

“Starting construction on the fourth ship of the class is a significant step in the life of the program,” said Rear Adm. Jim Murdoch, LCS program manager within the Navy’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “We’ve learned a number of key lessons from the construction of LCS 1 and 2 which will improve production of these vital fleet assets. We’re committed to controlling shipbuilding costs and delivering these ships on time and within budget.”

LCS is a new breed of U.S. Navy warship, capable of open-ocean operation but optimized for littoral, or coastal, missions. The Navy remains committed to a 55 ship LCS program and is leveraging competition, fixed-price contracting and serial production to reduce construction duration and costs. In addition, PEO Ships is committed to ensuring that, prior to the start of fabrication, the ship design is mature and the requirements are well understood.

Coronado is expected to deliver to the fleet in 2012. The ship will join USS Freedom (LCS 1), commissioned in 2008; USS Independence (LCS 2), scheduled to be commissioned Jan 16; and the future USS Fort Worth, also expected to deliver in 2012.

USS Coronado was named in honor of the California city of Coronado. LCS 4 will be 417 feet in length and will be able to reach speeds in excess of 40 knots.

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for managing the development and procurement of a diverse array of major shipbuilding programs ranging from complex warships, such as frontline surface combatants and amphibious assault ships, to special mission and support ships, such as air-cushioned landing craft, oceanographic research ships and special warfare craft. Delivering high-quality war fighting assets -- while balancing affordability and capability -- is key to supporting the Navy’s Maritime Strategy and building the Navy’s 313-ship force structure.

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