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NavSource Online: Littoral Warfare Ship Photo Archive

Sea Fighter (FSF 1)

FSF (Fast Sea Frame) Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (X-Craft):

25 February 2003: Building contract awarded to Nichol Brothers

05 June 2003: Keel laid at Nichol Brother's Boat Yard, Freeland, Whidbey Island, Wash.

05 February 2005: Launched

31 May 2005: Delivered to the U.S. Navy, placed in service

01 August 2005: Arrived in homeport of San Diego

The high-speed, experimental vessel will test a variety of technologies that will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral,

or near-shore, waters. Sea Fighter will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility,

and propulsion system efficiency of high-speed vessels, and will also serve as a test bed for developmental mission packages.

It will serve as a risk reduction, experimental vessel for the Littoral Combat Ship and Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program concept

of operation development at sea

Specifications:
Type: aluminum-hulled wave-piercing catamaran
Displacement: 950 tons
Length: 262' (oa), 240' (wl)
Beam: 72'
Draft: 11.5' (navigational draft)
Propulsion: Two GE LM2500 gas turbine engines, two MTU 16V 595 TE 90 propulsion diesels, four Rolls-Royce 125SII waterjets
Speed: 59 kts
Range: in excess of 4,000 nm @ 20+ knots
Complement: 26 (combined USN / USCG)

Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
93k	10 November 2004: Sea Fighter (FSF 1) at Freeland, Wash. The Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (LSC-X), under construction at Nichol Brother's Boat Yard, Freeland, WA. The X-Craft transformational program is a high-speed, aluminum catamaran consisting of an advanced hull geometry, designed to give the craft speeds of 50 knots or more. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has initial plans to conduct hydrodynamic experimentation as a test bed for Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HME) concepts for the Navy's new class of warship, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). (US Navy photo # 041110-N-3770P-003 by PH3 Jesse Praino from the Navy News Stand)	Lee Wahler
75k	4 February 2005: *Sea Fighter, the Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (X-Craft), at Nichols Bros. Boat Builders in Freeland, Whidbey Island, WA. Sea Fighterwill be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system of high-speed vessels. The X-Craft is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test a variety of technologies, which will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral or near-shore waters. (US Navy photo # 050204-N-7676W-193* by John F. Williams from the Navy NewsStand)	Jack Treutle
869k	5 February 2005: Christening of Sea Fighter (FSF 1) at Freeland, WA. by Mrs. Lynne Hunter, wife of Congressman Duncan Hunter of California.	Dale Hargrave
136k	10 February 2005: Freeland, Wash. - Chief of Naval Research, Rear Adm. Jay M. Cohen, leads a VIP tour of the X-Craft. The Navy christened X-Craft as Sea Fighter (FSF 1), Saturday, 5 February 2005, during ceremonies at Nichols Bros. Boat Builders yard in Freeland ( Whidbey Island), Washington. The high-speed, experimental vessel will test a variety of technologies that will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral, or near-shore, waters. (US Navy photograph by John F. Williams)	Bill Gonyo
147k	10 February 2005: Freeland, Wash. - The bridge of the X-Craft. The Navy christened X-Craft as Sea Fighter (FSF 1), Saturday, 5 February 2005 , during ceremonies at Nichols Bros. Boat Builders yard in Freeland (Whidbey Island ), Washington. (US Navy photograph by John F. Williams)
139k	12 July 2005: Everett, Wash. - The Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental "Sea Fighter" sits at the dock of Naval Station Everett. It will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system of high-speed vessels. The X-Craft is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test technologies which effect littoral or near-shore water operations. (US Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Douglas G. Morrison)
1941k	22 July 2005: *Sea Fighter* under way off Port Everett, Puget Sound. US Navy photo # 050722-N-6477M-002) by PH2 Eli J. Medellin.	Michael Mohl
73k	22 July 2005: *Sea Fighter* under way off Port Everett, Puget Sound. US Navy photo # 050722-N-6477M-003)	Jack Treutle
134k	22 July 2005: off Port Everett, Wash. - The U.S. Navy's X-Craft "Sea Fighter" will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system of high-speed vessels. The X-Craft is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test a variety of technologies, which will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral or near-shore waters. (US Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Eli J. Medellin)	Bill Gonyo
131k	1 August 2005: *Sea Fighter* underway off San Diego, CA. (US Navy photo # 050801-N-7676W-184 by John F. Williams)	Lee Wahler
145k	1 August 2005: San Diego, Cal. - The Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental "Sea Fighter" arrives at her new homeport of San Diego, Calif. The high-speed aluminum catamaran will test technologies for operations in littoral waters and will provide a platform for the evaluation of minimum manning concepts on future naval surface ships. (US Navy photo by John F. Williams)	Bill Gonyo
75k	1 August 2005: *Sea Fighter* passes the outbound Guided Missile Frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46) as she arrives at her new homeport of San Diego CA. The high-speed aluminum catamaran will test a variety of technologies that will allow the Navy to operate in littoral waters. With a base crew of 26 people, *Sea Fighter* will also provide a platform for the evaluation of minimum manning concepts on future naval surface ships. (US Navy photo #050801-N-7676W-546 by John F. Williams)	Lee Wahler
176k	1 August 2005: San Diego, Cal. - Navy "*Sea Fighter" (FSF-1) Commanding Officer, Lt. Cmdr Brandon Bryan addresses the welcomes the crowd at Broadway Pier, as the ship arrives to its new homeport. Sea Fighter* is the first vessel that the Navy has designed specifically as a fast sea frame with a decoupling hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E) systems from the mission packages allow for a true plug and fight mission module capability. (US Navy photo #0050801-N-4541B-002 by PH1 Gloria J. Barry)	Bill Gonyo
109k	2005: *Sea Fighter* moored at Naval Station, San Diego CA.	Richard Miller BMCS, USNR (ret.)
100k	9 December 2005: the Pacific Ocean - An MH-60'S Seahawk helicopter, flown by aircrew assigned to Naval Rotary Wing (HX) 21, prepares to land aboard *Sea Fighter* during flight deck certification off the coast of San Diego, Calif. Funded by the Office of Naval Research, *Sea Fighter* is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test a variety of technologies, which will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral or near-shore waters. (US Navy photo #051209-N-7676W-013 by John F. Williams)	Bill Gonyo
174k	3 February 2006: San Diego, Cal. - The Seahorse-class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) from the applied research laboratory at Penn State University is moved into position above Sea Fighter's (FSF 1) stern ramp during launch and recovery demonstrations. At 28 feet, six inches, and weighing 10,800 pounds, Seahorse is an untethered, unmanned, underwater robotic vehicle, capable of pre-programmed independent operations. The demonstration is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. (US Navy photo by John F. Williams)	Bill Gonyo