Fincantieri Wins $232 Million US Navy Littoral Combat Ship Contract

Fincantieri in Partnership with Lockheed Martin announced today that its Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) has won a $232 million modification contract for a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 21) along with advanced procurement for another ship (LCS 23) for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program.

The contract includes a priced option for one additional ship, LCS 25, to be funded in 2016.

The US Congress has approved total funding for LCS 21 and, for LCS 23, has approved funding for advanced procurement that allows the cost and schedule of the final block buy option to be maintained, with total funding for this latter vessel anticipated by 31 December 2015.

These ships are the last 2 units of the 10 Freedom class vessels within the LCS program, awarded in 2010 to MMC through Fincantieri’s partnership with the US-based defense contractor, Lockheed Martin Corporation.

The other 8 vessels are currently under construction at MMC’s shipyard. “Milwaukee” (LCS 5) was launched in 2013, and is planned to be delivered to the US Navy in the summer of 2015, and “Detroit” (LCS 7) was launched in 2014. “Little Rock” (LCS 9) and “Sioux City” (LCS 11) are under construction, with the LCS 9 launch planned for this summer.

The keel of “Wichita” (LCS 13) was laid in February 2015, while “Billings” (LCS 15), “Indianapolis” (LCS 17) and the yet to be named LCS 19 are all three in the early stages of construction.