We have some recent photos of the LCS 2, USS Independence. She's at 43 knots when running at half power. And note the absence of a bow wave.

Turns are as tight as you want at this speed. And then we have the massive helo deck big enough for a CH-53. Big deals are the huge storage capacity under that flight deck and the size of the flight deck.

Note that there is very little spreading wake. In fact, it does not look like a wake at all, just foamy water from the water jets. Somehow, at 40 knots, you'd think there'd be more wake.

There's just one drawback, she's strange looking - but she's aerodynamically designed. A couple of these should be able to clean up the pirates off the coasts of Africa.

There have been rumors about the U.S. Navy's speedy new triple hulled ships, but now they're for real. The U.S.S Independence was built by General Dynamics. It's called a "littoral combat ship" (LCS), and this tri-maran can move its weapons around faster than any other ship in the Navy. (Ironic that with all that high tech built in, the ship looks kind of like the Merrimac ironclad from the Civil War.

Littoral means close to shore, and that's where these very ships will operate. They're tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns. These ships are also relatively inexpensive. This one's a bargain at $208 million, and the Navy plans to build 55 of them. This ship is the first of a new fire breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots.

It's like a speedy and heavily armed aircraft carrier for helicopters. Just the thing to snuff out a pirate's courage.

Related Site - UssTidewater.org - read more about LCS2 by clicking here.