Carter tells USN to cut LCS, frigates but add aircraft

摘要

US secretary of defence Ashton Carter has instructed the US Navy (USN) to reduce its planned Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and follow-on frigate fleets in favour of more fighter aircraft and munitions. In a memo to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, seen by IHS Jane's on 17 December, Carter said the USN would reduce its planned LCS and frigate procurement from 52 to 40 vessels by downselecting to a single variant in fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019).