Updated: February 5, 2026 (Originally published August 16, 2010)
The design for Independence (LCS 2) is based on a high-speed trimaran that can make more than 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph) and has a range of 10,000 nautical miles. It was delivered to the Navy at the end of 2009 but the development and construction of Independence ran more then 100% over-budget reaching a total projected cost of $704 million. Even if the Navy doesn’t pick its design for full production, this could end up as one of the most influential ships in the history of the fleet. Philip Ewing of the Navy Times explains.
This video clip features assorted aerial views of the U.S. Navy’s newest ship USS Independence (LCS 2).
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RTX Corp. secured a multi-year Pentagon deal to dramatically increase production of Tomahawk Anti-Ship cruise missiles and SM-6 interceptors, weeks after President Trump criticized the defense contractor as "least responsive" to military needs.
The U.S. government is once again under fire for a long-standing shipbuilding habit: starting construction before designs are fully baked. The practice has repeatedly led to cost overruns, delays, and technical setbacks across several major maritime programs, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has repeatedly pointed out in its reports.
After months of delay, the Pentagon will select as soon as this week the defense company to design and build the Navy's next stealth fighter, a U.S. official and two people familiar with the decision said, it will be a multibillion-dollar effort for a jet seen as central to U.S. efforts to counter China.
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