Two prototypes of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) were ordered by the American defence department last month. The Ministry of Defence in Britain has confirmed that naval experts have been in contact with the Pentagon over the progress of the project.

Defence analysts believe that the technology used by the LCS is likely to be incorporated into the “future surface combatant”, due to replace the British frigate fleet by 2015.

Although not invisible to radar, the LCS’s stealth technology enables it to deceive an enemy into thinking it is a small harmless vessel. The angular shape of the hull deflects some of the radar. Radar-absorbing paint, similar to a material used on the B-2 stealth bomber, may also be used to deceive enemy detection systems.

The lightweight vessels will be capable of speeding up to an enemy shoreline at up to 60mph and carrying out their operations before defending radar systems have even noticed they are there.

Keith Mordoff, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin (LM), one of two contractors designing the prototype LCS, said: “Speed and agility are the primary stealth features of this ship but it will incorporate other stealth characteristics to make it look less like a warship (to radar). The LCS will be operating in busy coastal areas so what we want is for it not to stand out.”

The LCS prototypes, costing £135m each, also have retractable gun turrets and a single mast in the shape of a truncated pyramid to reduce their radar profile further.

Other possible features, which LM and General Dynamics, the other company building a prototype, say are too secret to discuss in detail, include special surfaces designed to confuse missile homing systems, and exhaust “mists” designed to conceal engine fumes from infra-red scanners.

One characteristic of the LCS in which the Royal Navy is strongly interested is its “modular” design. Unlike a traditional warship which retains a fixed layout, the LCS’s design is similar to that of an articulated lorry. The front section stays the same, but three different “trailers” can be loaded — for anti-submarine warfare, anti-mine patrols or attacking fast surface vessels.

In addition, the LCS can land special forces in small boats down a ramp at its rear in any of its three roles. For anti-submarine and mine patrols, the ship will use an array of helicopters, unmanned planes and drones.

The LCS will use ship-mounted guns and rockets to protect larger vessels from attacks by small speed boats, an important consideration after Al-Qaeda almost sank the USS Cole in Aden in Yemen four years ago with a suicide attack using rubber speedboats.

The prototypes are due to go to sea in 2006, after which the American navy will decide whether to go ahead with a possible £8.1 billion order for as many as 60 ships. There is strong political opposition to the cost of the project.

British contractors are involved with both prototypes. Rolls-Royce is providing the engine systems for LM’s single-hulled ship while BAE Systems is working on General Dynamics’ trimaran version.The Royal Navy is expected to select a trimaran design for its future surface combatant, to replace type 22 and 23 frigates.

Stealth technology was first developed for the American air force in the 1980s and has been used in US fighters and bombers. Only now are the same principles being applied to ships.

“Stealth characteristics will be built into most ships from now on, so I expect Britain’s future surface combatant to be no different,” said Commodore Stephen Saunders, editor of Jane’s Fighting Ships. “Stealth is very important but, unlike with planes, it is not an end in itself. A ship has to do a lot more than be stealthy and the designers have to remember this. If all you want is stealth, build a submarine.”

The stealth ship at the most advanced stage is the Swedish-built Visby, and British Type 45 destroyers now being built also use some stealth features in their design.

The DD(X), America’s new destroyer, is likely to go even further and may have plastic superstructure on its steel hull.

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