U.S. NAVY SHIP TO SHORE CONNECTOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES PRODUCTION READINESS REVIEW
WASHINGTON - The United States Navy has completed the Production Readiness Review of the Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) program. The Production Readiness Review, along with the previously completed Critical Design Review, provide for a smooth transition to the start of production for the first craft (craft 100) in mid-November. The SSC will serve as the evolutionary replacement for the existing fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles, which are nearing the end of their service life.
During the reviews, the Navy closely evaluated the SSC craft's design maturity and readiness, the availability of materials and components, and industry's ability to successfully start and sustain fabrication. The SSC program is the first program to be designed in-house by the Navy in over a decade, beginning with a set-based design process, where craft level requirements were functionally decomposed into discrete system level Functional Requirements Documents (FRDs). The FRDs formed the functional basis for selecting trade spaces, and to start Preliminary Design. Preliminary Design was followed by a Contract Design period, which developed the Allocated Baseline and formed the basis for the SSC contract solicitation and subsequent contract award. The SSC will be a high-speed, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 74-ton payload at speeds of more than 35 knots. The SSC design incorporates material and systems improvements that reduce maintenance, increase craft availability and lower lifecycle maintenance costs. The SSC will also incorporate an improved skirt design, the advanced skirt in place of the LCAC's deep skirt, reducing drag and craft weight. The SSC supports rapid movement of Marine Expeditionary Forces from the sea base to shore and can tactically deliver personnel and heavy equipment to trafficable terrain well beyond the beach with the built-in reliability to operate in the harshest littoral environments.