Crew confusion for LCS

The littoral combat ship’s surface warfare mission module, which includes a Mk 46 30mm gun system, was unveiled July 11 at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, Va. Manning plans for LCS and its mission modules are still unclear.


Crew confusion for LCS
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jul 20, 2008 9:34:20 EDT

DAHLGREN, Va. — In a ceremony here July 11, with all the trappings of a trade show — exhibit booths, computer demos and take-home tchotchkes — the Navy unveiled the surface warfare package for its littoral combat ship, the second of three “plug-in” modules for the new generation of multi-purpose vessels.

But even as acquisition officials and defense contractors reeled off details about how the advanced new sensors and weapons will work, they had little new information about another key component of the warship: its crew. This is despite the fact that both LCS 1 and 2 could be commissioned as early as this year.

At displays for the LCS’ 30mm gun, missile system and console suite, Navy officials and contractors said they weren’t quite sure yet how many sailors would be needed to maintain each system, or exactly what jobs they would do once the packages are installed on the ships. For example, although officials want LCS to be able to change mission modules in no more than three days, they didn’t know yet who will do the changing — waterfront sailors, contractors or the ship’s crew.

Also unclear is how the core crew of an LCS will work with the mission modules: Which sailors will “own” and maintain the multi-use spaces that will carry the mission packages? The Navy’s plan for LCS is for sailors to be fully qualified when they report to the ship because there won’t be many chances to learn at sea with a core crew of 40 sailors. But what happens if sailors are injured, fall ill or get killed during a mission?

Top shipbuilding officials, including Vice Adm. Paul Sullivan, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, and Capt. Michael Good, program manager for the ships’ mission modules, said they were confident the crew details would be worked out.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/navy_lcs_manning_072008w/



uhc comment: The Navy is "confident the crew details would be worked out" on this $5,000,000,000+ destroyer? Call me silly, but this POS has been in the works for a while now. And you folks are still working on the crew details?

And cost $500,000,000+ each (although it is climbing)