It might have been three ship sets and a simulator setup?
3 "sets" with an option for a 4th at the same price for the same computer/radar baseline.
I don't think the Kidds would have lasted until 2020. They would have been fine until 2010 (maybe) by which time US yards could have supplied at least four DDG 51-IIs to the RAN. As to upgrading the Kidds they had the combat system we wanted. The only thing they would have needed is VLS to replace the GMLS to save on crew and maintenance. A 64 cell strike length forward and a 16 cell SDSS length aft (can't fit a full size VLS aft on a spru can) would enabled 64 ESSM and 64 SM2 which is more than enough.
With a good SLEPing I think they could have though 2015 probably would of been more realistic. I've read a couple sources that talk about how the Tico's and Kidds were built stronger than the base Sprucan hull in several aspects. Besides Spruances were starved of funding and then decommed for political reasons rather than their hulls being knackered.
If the articles that have been around the internet have any truth, will LCS-2 be seaworthy next year let alone in 10 or 20 years? :devil
And even LCS-1, photo's i saw on another forum showed what looked like surface rust on the forward deck both near the gun and at the bow, and the whole side of the ship was black from particulate matter from the exhaust.
As much as I don't like them LCS 1&2 are best viewed as prototypes, they will break, they will have their manning adjusted, concepts will be worked out and equipment and hull deficiencies will be addressed in later examples. The first two will probably have very limited service lives but who knows maybe LCS-3 and above might be half way decent ships.
If you look at HMAS Perths new upgrade, its dome is black not storm grey. some genius decided building above the funnels, and what comes out of said funnels is not exactly clear smoke. The only people set to win out of these design failures are the contractors who have to paint them every month, same with LCS. More paint more money for some contract...its all part of someones plan
That is one of the things I didn't like about the F-100, the rear SPY arrays were above the forward stack, and got filthy very quickly. That means the arrays had to be cleaned by the crew much more often than on the Baby-Burke and the arrays would have to be resurfaced much more often as well. Spain partially rectified this problem by building up the stack so it is higher but that was only a partial solution since every F-100 picture I've seen with the modification still has nasty looking rear array faces.
