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Friday, June 3, 2016

Weapons

Gunfight! Does the Navy’s Little Warship Need a Bigger Cannon?


Clockwise from upper left, the Mark 3/Mk 110 57 mm gun aboard the USS Freedom; a MK-75 76mm mounted gun on the USS Thach; the MK-75 76mm gun on USS Taylor, and the 76mm rapid-fire gun aboard the USS Sides.
Criticism about the Littoral Combat Ship’s ability to survive in battle prompted the Navy to eye a series offirepower-boosting upgrades and to redesignate the ship a frigate. Service officials have not finalized the ship’s configuration; meanwhile, companies and experts are weighing in on the best mix of weapons for it.

Currently, both versions of LCS, the Lockheed Martin-made Freedom class and the Austal-made Independence class, carry a BAE Systems Mark 110 57-millimeter gun. The bow-mounted gun is the ship’s main defense against fast-moving and swarming boats.

But rival firm DRS Technologies says its OTO Melara 76-millimeter gun is more powerful and can fire smart rounds at longer ranges, meaning it could strike sooner than theBAE weapon.

“You don’t want to be outgunned,” said Eric Lindenbaum, vice president of Navy and Maritime programs for DRSTechnologies, hefting a dummy 76-millimeter round. “The 76 is bigger [and] goes farther. I can hit further away from you and I can hit you and you can’t hit me.”

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