Length Freedom: 380 ft
Beam Freedom: 57 ft
Draft Freedom: 12 ft
Displacement Freedom: 3,100 tons
Speed Freedom: 47 knots
Crew Freedom: 40+75

Length Independence: 418 ft
Beam Independence: 104 ft
Draft Independence: 14 ft
Displacement Independence: 2,800 tons
Speed Independence: 44 knots
Crew Independence: 35+40

Propulsion: 2 Rolls-Royce MT30 36MW Gas Turbines, 2 Colt Diesels, 4 Rolls-Royce waterjets, 2 shafts
Airwing: 2 MH-60 & 1 MQ-8 VTUAVs
Armament:
- 1 x RAM launcher, 21 missiles (Freedom)
- 1 x SEARAM launcher, 11 missiles (Independence)
- 4 x Netfire PAM, 60 missiles (Both - AsuW Mission Package)
- 1 × Mk 110 57 mm gun (Both)
- 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (Both)
Ships in class: 2 complete, 2 building, 19 planned

LCS-1 Freedom
LCS-3 Ft. Woth - building

LCS-2 Independence
LCS-4 Coronado - building

Both LCS designs are slightly smaller than the Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry and earlier guided missile frigates. The LCS design in addition to the anti-access and asymetrical warfighting roles have added the capabilities of a small assault transport with a flight deck and hangar large enough to base two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, the capability to recover and launch small boats from a stern ramp, and enough cargo volume and payload to deliver a small assault force with armoured fighting vehicles to a roll-on/roll-off port facility.

The standard armament for the LCS includes a Mk 110 57 mm gun, RAM misiles for air defense, and .50 cal machine guns. Significantly more armament is included and tailored to the specific mission packages that the vessels were desinged for. For example, the anti-surface, and fire support package includes Non-Line-of-Sight Launch Systems with four Precision Attack MIssile packs of 15 missiles each, a total of 60 missiles.

In order to meet the various roles envisioned for these vessels, they have been desinged to reconfigure for different roles with quickly replacable "Mission Packages," including anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, homeland defense, maritime intercept, special operations, and logistics. Due to its modular design, the LCS will be able to replace slower, more specialized ships such as minesweepers and larger assault ships.

Most of the functions of the mission packages will be performed by vehicles such as the helicopters or unmanned vehicles such as the Spartan Scout, AN/WLD-1 RMS Remote Minehunting System and MQ-8 Fire Scout, or by missles and other munitions launched form the ship. By performing functions such as sonar sweeps for mines or submarines or torpedo launches against hostile submarines at some distance from the ship's hull, the crew is placed at less risk. By placing sensors on remote vehicles the LCS will be able to exploit concepts such as bistatic sonar without actually being in two places at the same time. All of this is part of the Navy's goal to unman the front lines.

Currently, both calasses of the LCS have completed their first vessel which have gone through sea trials. The USS Freedom has already been commissioned and the USS Independence will be commissioned in January of 2010. Both classes are currently building their second unit. The program has been plagued and delayed by cost overruns, but those have been brought under control with fioxed cost contracting and the building is porceeding on both new units. The US Navy will evaluate both designs and determine whether to cintune both designs or to award full production to one contractor. Currently, 15 additional vessels are planned, but that number will likely grow as series production of one or both vessels begins as oringinally a need for 55 vessels was identified.

Freedom Class:
The USS Freedom Class is the first of two dramatically different LCS designs being produced. USS Freedom is designed to be a fast, maneuverable and networked surface combatant that is a semi-planing steel monohull with an aluminum superstructure. The design incorporates a large reconfigurable seaframe to allow rapidly interchangeable mission modules, a flight deck with integrated helicopter launch, recovery and handling system and the capability to launch and recover boats (manned and unmanned) from both the stern and side.

The flight deck is 1.5 times the size of that of a BUrke destroyer, and uses a Trigon traversing system to move helicopters in and out of the hangar. The ship has two ways to launch and recover various mission packages: a stern ramp and a starboard side door near the waterline. The mission module bay has a 3-axis crane for positioning modules or cargo. The fore deck has a modular weapons zone which can be used for a 57 mm gun turret or missile launcher. A Rolling Airframe Missile launcher is mounted above the hangar for short-range defense against aircraft and cruise missiles, and .50-caliber gun mounts are provided topside.

The core crew will be 40 sailors, usually joined by a mission package crew and an aviation detachment of up to 75.

The construction contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin's LCS team (Lockheed Martin, Gibbs & Cox, Marinette Marine, Bollinger Shipyards) in May 2004. Her keel was laid down on 2 June 2005, by Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin.[14] The ship was sponsored by Birgit Smith, the widow of United States Army Sergeant 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mrs. Smith's initials are welded on the ship's keel. The couple's Saint Christopher medal and wedding bands are embedded in the ship's mast.[13]

The USS Freedom was laid down on 2 June 2005, launched and christened on 23 September 2006, delivered to the Navy on 18 September 2008, and commissioned in Milwaukee on 8 November, 2008.

Independence Class:
The design for Independence (LCS 2) is based on a proven high-speed trimaran (Benchijigua Express) hull. This trimaran hull will enable the ship to reach sustainable speeds of nearly 50 knots.

With 11,000 cubic meters of payload volume the ship is designed with enough objective payload and volume to activel use on mission package while carryiong a second complete mission package in reserve. The large flight deck is almost three times the size of a standard Burke class destoyerand will support operation of two SH-60 helicopters, multiple UAVs, or one large CH-53 class helicopter (which is larger than a V-22 transport). The stable trimaran hull will allow flight operations up to sea state 5.

The large interior volume and payload is greater than larger destroyers and is sufficient to serve as a high-speed transport and maneuver platform. The mission bay is 11,800 square feet and takes up most of the deck below the hangar and flight deck.

In addition to cargo or container-sized mission modules, the bay can carry four lanes of multiple Strykers, armored Humvees, and their associated troops. An elevator allows air transport of packages the size of a twenty-foot long shipping container that can be moved into the mission bay while at sea. A side access ramp allows for vehicle roll-on/roll-off loading to a dock and allows the ship to even transport the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.

The Independence also has an integrated LOS Mast, Sea Giraffe 3D Radar and SeaStar Safire FLIR. Side and forward surfaces are angled for reduced radar profile. In addition, H-60 series helicopters provide airlift, rescue, anti-submarine, radar picket and anti-ship capabilities with torpedoes and missiles.

The Raytheon Evolved SeaRAM missile defense system is installed on the hangar roof. The SeaRAM combines the sensors of the Phalanx 1B close-in weapon system with an 11-missile launcher for the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), creating an autonomous system.

The contract was awarded to General Dynamics in July 2003.[9] The contract to build her was then awarded to Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama, on 14 October 2005 and her keel was laid down on 19 January 2006. She was launched on 29 April 2008 and Christened on October 4th, 2008. She has completed builders trials and will be commissioned in January 2010