The United States Navy's Singapore-bound Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Freedom, is due to make a port call in Guam on Good Friday today.
Indications are that the LCS will remain in Guam till at least Tuesday (2 April'13).
Freedom is within five to six sailing days from Singapore. You can do the math for a guesstimate of her arrival in Singapore. :-)
USS Freedom Visits Guam FRIDAY; Crew Will Volunteer in Community
Source: Pacific News Center. Click here
Guam - The Navy’s first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), is scheduled to arrive in Apra Harbor, Guam, FRIDAY, March 29 for a port call.
While on island, dozens of Sailors will volunteer their time to support several community service projects:
• Saint Dominic’s Senior Care Home -- Sailors will help organize Easter Day events at the center and help clean the facilities March 30, 9-11:45 a.m.
• John F. Kennedy High School -- Volunteers will discuss with students the various Navy careers and the importance of an education, and participate in physical fitness activities April 1, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Guam Animals In Need (GAIN) -- Sailors will clean up kennels and care for animals April 2, 8 a.m.- noon.
Freedom departed her homeport of San Diego March 1 for a deployment to the Asia-Pacific region for approximately eight months. Marking the first of many planned rotational deployments to the Western Pacific for the new LCS platform, Freedom will conduct maritime security operations with regional partners and allies.
Fast, agile and mission-focused, LCS platforms are designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for three separate purposes: surface warfare, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare.
Freedom will be initially manned by her “Gold” crew of 91 Sailors to include mission package personnel and an aviation detachment to operate an embarked MH-60 helicopter. The ship will remain home ported in San Diego throughout this rotational deployment.
Freedom is the third ship in the Navy to be named for the concept of freedom. Freedom was commissioned Nov. 8, 2008, in Milwaukee’s Veterans Park.
19 comments:
Ships Costing U.S. $37 Billion Lack Firepower, Navy Told
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-28/ships-costing-u-s-37-billion-lack-firepower-navy-told.html
will they be ported up north or to the east of sg?
and the m'sian navy will be singing, "every move you make, I'll be watching you".
East. Sembawang has no facilities for mission modules or quarters for a warship crew. It is for families.
Changi, on the other hand, who knows what is in there.
How about a Marine Expeditionary Force to liberate us.
Based on Wikipedia entry, it is at best a corvette, intention of their design to "to replace more specialized ships such as minesweepers and large assault ships," and "unable to defend themselves effectively against anti-ship cruise missiles."
USN CNO said (in 2012), "You won't send it into an anti-access area."
"MCM and SUW modules are planned to reach initial operating capability in Fiscal year 2014, and the ASW module in FY2016."
As I see it, its role is operate only in low-intensity conflict, or to support more highly-armed vessel such as DDG in higher-intensity conflict. It is no match (as a single unit) for the chinese destroyers exercising in S. China Sea now.
Anon April 1, 2:03
"......It is no match (as a single unit) for the chinese destroyers exercising in S. China Sea now..."
You will be surprised; just make sure who press the fire button first...and you will be really fxxked !
I had the opportunity to see USS Freedom at sea during RIMPAC 2010. It was a spectacle to see such a platform at full speed. The crew gave me the impression that they were trying out the ship and exploring (and discovering) its operational concept.
Contrary to popular belief...the crew will not be living in Singapore or on any base. No bunks will be provided for them. They will live onboard their own ship. No families to bring along either.
Changi will be their maintenance/refuelling/replenishing base to operate out from....no US base in Singapore for them. They are only guests.
The Freedom schedule to depart Guam 0400hr hrs 5/4/2013 for exercise with other Navy ships while on its way to CNB but seem to experience mechanical issue (no idea how true).... this is on top of the diesel generator issue they had from Hawaii to Guam which needs to GD team to be in Hawaii to troubleshoot
correction to my post it should be LM team and not GD
Anonymous at April 2, 2013 at 2:55 AM
This is not correct.
Firstly the LCS cannot even hold two crews. The rotating Blue and Gold crews will fly to Singapore. One crew will definitely stay in bunks ashore while the ship is being handed over.
Their families will live at the official home port of San Diego. This will be a different situation from the permanent US Navy staff ashore at CommLog WestPac. Their families live in Sembawang.
Feel free to take a look. You can see the SAF Military Security Troopers and Singapore Police Force patrol their neighbourhood. One with Security vehicle (Ford Escape) with GPMG paired with one Police car on patrol.
I believe the LCS is "temporarily based" (notice the word "temporary") in SG - the wording to avoid antagonising our neighbours (and those further away e.g., China), hence the rules for crew of LCS to live on board the LCS. I think it must be crammed living long-term on board - maybe the crew can use the CNB Mess Halls and sports facilities certain times of the day.
Hi, any thoughts on the possibility of the SAF procuring F35s?
If you can point to such a rule (crew live on board the LCS) then please point it out.
I believe Singapore only objects to the word "basing" being used and prefers the word "rotation". The ship is still officially homeported at San Diego (unlike USS George Washington homeported at Yokosuka). No such specific rule has been promised or publicised.
We should ask for bigger ship like aircraft carrier to station in Singaporea then it can protect us.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/04/05/dsca-seeks-authorization-to-sell-singapore-246-mil.aspx
it has arrived!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22156283
Whether the crew can use Changi bunks or cook house, what is the difference?
Important thing is Singapore is providing essential port facilities for this ship that it cannot operate without. Without Singapore, the US Navy must find another ally willing to host them.
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