Point of Contact:
Public Affairs
Office of Naval Research
Corporate Communications Office
Phone: 703-696-5031
Fax: 703-696-5940
E-mail: onrcsc@onr.navy.mil

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - November 14, 2008 – The USS Freedom, the Navy’s first littoral combat ship (LCS 1), was commissioned earlier this month at Veterans Park in Milwaukee. The fast, agile and adaptable warship supports critical and urgent war-fighting requirements that meet the demands of the Navy’s maritime strategy. The 379-foot vessel represents years of strategic investment by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

“ONR has been a key partner in the development and evolution of the Littoral Combat Ship concept and the technologies found on these remarkable new ships,” said Program Executive Officer for Ships, RADM William (Bill) Landay. In his previous assignment, RADM Landay served as ONR’s Chief of Naval Research.

ONR-supported scientific studies directly contributed to LCS modular systems design, equipping the vessel to meet the needs of multiple and ever-changing missions such as mine, anti-submarine and surface warfare. More importantly, the interchangeable modules offer greater protections through the deployment of unmanned vehicles, resulting in greater standoff distances to surface and subsurface threats.

“ONR's experimental X-Craft research has provided invaluable experience to the Navy in the performance of small, high-speed ships, and test and evaluation of mission module interfaces,” added RADM Landay. “Looking forward, ONR’s continued development of advanced technology concepts will help us evaluate and add additional war-fighting capabilities to this class.”

Aside from the plug-and-play modular components aboard the USS Freedom, ONR’s scientific investments have contributed to other cutting-edge advances in hull design, propulsion, and life-cycle maintenance.