The Detroit Freedom-class coastal gunship broke down off the coast of South America, Defense News reported, citing three sources familiar with the situation.
According to the newspaper, the breakdown is associated with the propulsion system, which failed as a result of routine operations. Troubleshooting required sending the ship to Mayport, Florida.
Detroit's combined propulsion system is complex enough, Defense News notes. In particular, a pair of diesel engines operates at a speed of 10-12 knots, while acceleration to 40 knots involves two gas turbines. “A system with a lot of moving parts has proven unreliable,” the newspaper writes.
In February, it was reported that the first four ships of the US Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) coastal warship program would be decommissioned due to the prohibitive costs of upgrading them.
In April 2018, Task & Purpose reported that LCS ships “are a floating pile of garbage.”
The line of LCS ships designed to patrol the coastal zone, combat enemy surface and submarine forces, counter drones and reconnaissance, includes ships of the Freedom and Independence types. The first, a fast monohull ship, was developed by Lockheed Martin. The second is a trimaran (three-hull ship), created by General Dynamics. Since 2006, 11 such ships have been launched.
