These Are Very Fast Ships

I'd be boasting this news too...

The Navy’s second littoral combat ship, the Independence, finished its builder’s trials Wednesday, more than three months after first sailing from its Mobile, Ala., shipyard for its tests at sea.

The aluminum trimaran hit a top speed of 45 knots and kept a sustained speed of 44 knots during its full power run in the Gulf of Mexico, shipbuilder General Dynamics said in an announcement. It kept a high speed and stability despite eight-foot waves and 25-knot winds.

The AP reports the ship "sustained 44 knots during a four-hour, full-speed sprint," which is 50 mph for 4 hours.

Last year when I was on USS Freedom the top speed while I was on the ship was 42.4 knots... on a sunny November morning that included almost no wind in the fresh, calm waters of Lake Ontario. I knew we were moving fast, but it really didn't feel like it. I imagine the GD version is very similar. If Independence is hitting 45 knots in builders trials with eight foot waves and 25-knot winds, even accounting this is salt water, it is still very impressive.

Speed is very sexy, and might turn out useful in some circumstances, but I'll be more interested to hear what the endurance of Independence is. In my book, speed is a wash over 40 knots, but endurance differences may be the deciding factor in the competition, and ironically, endurance was not a major point on the ship design requirements.