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US Navy redefines LCAC SLEP
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| 1 November 2000 |
US Navy redefines
LCAC SLEP
By David C Isby
The first of the US Navy's (USN's) Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft
to go through a service life extension programme (SLEP) at Textron Marine
Systems (see JDU Vol III No.7 p2), LCAC-91, is expected to be delivered
this December.
This follows a lengthy process in which there has been considerable dissatisfaction
about the time required to undertake the SLEP on LCAC-91, which had been
originally scheduled for delivery in December 1998. The USN has identified
'management issues' rather than technology as causing the schedule problems.
The current goal is for LCAC SLEPs to be carried out at a rate of six
per year, which would take 15 years for the entire fleet to be brought
up to the same standard. It will take a considerable time for work to
attain this rate. Following the initial delivery, delivery rates will
increase to one in Fiscal Year 2001 (FY01), two a year in FY02, three
in FYs03-04 and only increase to four per year in FY05.
To reduce the extensive delays that were associated with the first SLEP,
the programme has now been redefined to involve two phases. The current
USN plan has also reduced the number of SLEPs from all 89 LCACs to the
74 that are used by active units.
The more extensive and costly elements of the SLEP are now confined to
Phase I. These involve immediate improvements, which are now to be installed
throughout the fleet first. Phase I will be carried out at the Assault
Craft Units (ACU) that operate the LCACs and will involve replacing current
electronic systems with a one having 1553 databus open architecture, relying
on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) systems, especially
new communications and navigation equipment. This will take place over
the next several years, preceding the more elaborate structural alterations
of the SLEP.
Phase II will take place at Textron Marine's New Orleans facility and
will increase the service life of the LCAC to 30 years by the use of new
anti-corrosion material. These LCACs will be able to carry M1 tanks ashore.
The 'SLEPed' LCAC has:
- improved engines with better hot weather capability;
- a buoyancy box, which incorporate improvements to stability and trim control; and
- an advanced skirt
that is more reliable than cost effective than the current design.