USS Independence at sea in April 2019. (Photo: USN/Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)
Wärtsilä Defense has received an IDIQ contract worth up to $76.28 million from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, to repair waterjet and shaft assemblies on Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs).
‘Work will be completed at the contractor’s facility in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2027. The contract will have a 60-month ordering period,’ the DoD noted on 28 July.
Fitted with two LM2500 gas turbines and two MTU Series 8000 diesel engines, as well as two LJ160E and two LJ150E waterjets, the trimaran Independence-class design can reach a top speed of 44kt with a range of 4,300 nautical miles.
As advances in uncrewed technology increasingly shape Australia’s maritime future, Shephard spoke with the country’s head of navy capability and a Leidos Australia executive about the operational advantages behind the shift.
The conversion of RFA Lyme Bay comes during signs that European navies may once again need to cooperate on Gulf mine clearance operations.
Saab’s merger of its Kockums and Naval Combat Systems divisions into a single business area called Naval, effective 1 April 2026, aims to enhance efficiency, innovation and competitive positioning in the naval sector.
Amphibious operations are a very unique type of military operation, and global defence industries are developing new solutions to enhance capabilities and efficiency.
The new autonomous surface vessels are planned to be operationally fielded in FY2027, following the completion of on-water trials.
CPSP competitors are proposing platforms fitted with advanced, next-generation capabilities to be built and sustained in cooperation with the Canadian industry.
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