Lockheed Martin has dropped out of the running for the U.S. Navy’s FFG(X) frigate competition, USNI News reports. The company had been planning to offer a frigate design based on its Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship.
Company officials said the Freedom LCS hull would be pressed for space to accommodate the FFG(X) capabilities. Lockheed will instead focus on continued development of frigate combat systems.
“We reviewed the entire program and obviously, given some of the stuff that has already happened that is outside of the contract for the program – that includes the designation of our combat management system, COMBATSS 21, derived off of Aegis; we have the Mk-41 vertical launch system; the processing for our anti-submarine warfare area; advanced [electronic warfare] and platform integration,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small combatants and ship systems. “As we evaluated all of those different areas, we determined not to pursue, as a prime contractor, the FFG(X) detailed design and construction.”
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Austal USA, Lockheed Martin, Fincantieri Marine, and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works are working on frigate proposals. A contract award is expected in 2020.
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