More than 17 years ago, the U.S. Navy christened the first of a new class of warship designed to operate in near-shore environments. The so-called Littoral Combat Ships or LCS would be fast and agile, capable of countering 21st-century coastal threats such as missile-firing boats, small submarines, and mines. Littoral combat ships are comparable to corvettes found in other navies. The Freedom class and the Independence class are the two LCS variants. CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet the Littoral Combat Ship: US Navy's $500 Million Warship 02:08 An Idea is Born 03:19 Striking a Balance 06:32 Core Ship Weapons 07:31 Surface Warfare 08:03 Mine Countermeasures 08:44 Anti-Submarine Warfare 09:11 RETIREMENT Thanks