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The US Navy recently announced that four of these ships will be retired early after being plagued by operational problems.
The United States Navy's littoral combat class has been an innovative project since its inception. With two main models – the Freedom class and the Independence class – these ships were designed to be fast, efficient and highly technological. However, despite their revolutionary features, the Navy recently announced that four of these ships will be retired early.
In this article, we'll explore the reasoning behind this decision and analyze the challenges and innovations presented by the littoral combat class.
The futuristic design
One of the most striking features of the Independência class is its ultra futuristic design. With a trimaran hull, this ship is composed of a central structure and two narrow side hulls to increase stability.
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This configuration offers several advantages, such as greater stability in rough seas and the ability to navigate in shallow waters. Furthermore, the side hulls provide additional protection to the central hull, where the crew, machinery and armaments are located.
Choosing aluminum
Another innovation present in the littoral combat class is the construction of the hull in aluminum, instead of steel. Although aluminum is lighter and resistant to corrosion, it presents some challenges. Aluminum has a lower melting point and begins to lose its structural properties at relatively low temperatures.
However, the company responsible for building the ships stated that the use of aluminum provided advantages, such as localizing damage in cases of collisions, avoiding damage to other parts of the structure.
Problems with corrosion
One of the main problems faced by the littoral combat class is corrosion. The interaction of aluminum with other metals, such as steel, in the presence of an electrolyte, such as seawater, can cause galvanic corrosion. To avoid this problem, protective procedures were applied, such as painting, electrical insulation and cathodic protection with sacrificial anodes.
However, there have been cases of corrosion on ship hulls, which has raised criticism about the maintenance procedures carried out by the Navy.
Propulsion system challenges facing the Navy
Another point of challenge for the littoral combat class is the propulsion system. These ships have two diesel engines and two gas turbines, which drive four hydrojets to reach speeds of up to 45 knots. However, the complexity of this system and the need for synchronization between different components have generated maintenance problems. Clutch failures, problems with lubrication and metallic debris in filter systems were some of the incidents reported on ships.
The future of littoral combat class ships
Despite the challenges faced by the littoral combat class, it is important to highlight that this innovative project goes through cycles of identifying and correcting problems. However, the Navy's decision to retire four of these ships indicates that upgrade and maintenance costs have become unaffordable. Furthermore, the development of a new class of guided missile frigates could replace the littoral combat class in the future.
The United States Navy's littoral combat class was an innovative project, seeking speed, stability and efficiency in its operations. However, corrosion issues, propulsion system challenges and the need for costly upgrades and maintenance led to the decision to retire four of these ships early. The future of this class of ships is still uncertain, but it will certainly leave a legacy of innovation and challenges faced by the United States Navy.
Apparently these ships can only sail on rivers, trimarans may be useful as long as they are leased.
Brazil is already going to buy boxwood to use on the Amazon River…
The one who buys old remains from the USA is Milei's Argentina, see the F16s that have already become scrap compared to the new fighters
What keeps an aircraft active and operational is its avionics. There is no point in having state-of-the-art aircraft without technology transfer. Based on your theory, the idiot made a bad deal when he bought the Gripen, but for someone who spent 27 years in the Air Force, the view is different. Hugs.
**** and also your idol, look at the clocks, January 8th.
**** same clock…while your leader **** shamelessly… come on man, stop talking about what you don't understand…
The Gripen were purchased with technology transfer... So much so that they will be manufactured here in Brazil in the future
**** is really idiotic… Argentina is better than Brazil… there are no **** in power.
14.04.24 – Sunday – bday; people knowledgeable on the subject say that these coastal ships are very good when their speed does not exceed 30 knots; After this speed, there are serious problems with the gears, which have not yet been resolved, and that is why the American Navy is withdrawing from operations.
It reminds me of the obsolescence of the Minas Gerais, which we bought in a scrapped state, with extremely high operating costs and dubious efficiency…
In this case, you are talking about the aircraft carrier São Paulo, which was purchased from France during the FHC government and did not leave the dock until it was sunk by the Brazilian Navy because no port wanted it.
I am a retired engineer, I am happy to be able to read about this subject, especially with a technical vocabulary of knowledge, therefore this subject is of the utmost importance, because it involves metallurgy, electroplating, security, maritime and economic mobility, but nevertheless, I think there was no explanation about environmental interference!
The environment is the same as when the projects began, there was only one chemist missing from the team.
I'm a retired reader, and I see how people without the slightest knowledge give opinions about everything. No one can just read anymore, they want to participate and even without any knowledge they give their technical, operational, functional reports and everything else. I've always found comments to be better than news.
The electroplating used and monitored on the hull emitted an electrical current of equal value and in the opposite direction, nullifying the effects, as said in the report, there is a need for monitoring, which is why it was put under maintenance checks by the US navy.
Regarding the environment, this system is the least damaging. However, the biggest cause is the flash point of aluminum, as new surface missiles are equipped with a liquid that decomposes aluminum with self-destruction power.
Hmm, I know. It will certainly sell to underdeveloped countries like Brazil and then technicians will discover effective ways to overcome these problems. After this improvement, they will take over the patent for them due to a hidden clause in the contract and then return to manufacturing these boats with the knowledge of the idiots.
Talk about an ignorant communist.