SeaPower – The effort to develop and build the Navyís novel Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a classic clash of industrial titans. To foster competition and restrain costs, the serviceís ship procurement chiefs have pitted teams of contractors headed by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics in a contest for possibly $12 billion in orders and a major foothold in the world market for advanced shallow-water warships. Out of the limelight, however, a lesser-known contest is shaping up that over the long term could prove vital to the Navy. Small companies are racing to win a spot on the LCS, bringing with them innovations in technologies such as power systems, communications and intuitive software.

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