When Hurricane Matthew approached, the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Montgomery and several other Navy ships were ordered out of port in Mayport, FL. Unfortunately, in the process of leaving port, the USS Montgomery took a hard knock from a tug, which cracked the hull and bent five hull stringers. The crew was able to control the flooding. This, however, was not the first of the LCS’s troubles.

At the end of September we posted, “Recently, the USS Montgomery, an Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), established a new record. The ship broke down, suffering two unrelated engine failures only three days after being commissioned.” The USS Montgomery was able to limp into Mayport, Florida for repairs.

There are serious questions as to the survivability of the LCS. Last year, Bloomberg quoted Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s director of operational testing, who continued to be dissatisfied with the survivability of the LCS despite recent upgrades. “Notwithstanding reductions to its susceptibility” compared with the design of the first 32 ships, “the minor modifications to the LCS will not yield a ship that is significantly more survivable…”