Lockheed Martin to build another LCS

Lockheed Martin has won a $198 million contract to build the third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the U.S. Navy, the second LCS to be built by the Bethesda, Maryland-based firm. Virginia-based General Dynamics Corp is also building a LCS ship, the LCS No. 2.

Lockheed said it would begin construction of LCS 3 in the first quarter of 2007 at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana, with delivery slated in 2009.

It is currently building the first LCS, named ?Freedom?, at Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin. The ship will be christened this autumn and delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2007.

In April, Lockheed won a contract to see whether its design for the shore-hugging LCS could be modified to meet Israeli naval requirements.